


The Foam Hourglass

by OpalSpirit



Series: Folktales AU [2]
Category: Den lille Havfrue | The Little Mermaid - Hans Christian Andersen, Loki - Fandom, Norse Religion & Lore
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst and Feels, Atticus - Freeform, Blood and Injury, Dark Magic, Deals, Disapproving Family, England (Country), Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Iceland, Inspired by the Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, Lang Leav, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Long-Distance Relationship, Marine Biology, Marine botany, Mentions of Myth & Folklore, Michael Faudet, Near Death Experiences, Nikita Gill, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Oxford University - Freeform, Pablo Neruda's Poetry, Protective Loki, Rebelling, Scientific Research, Sea-side towns, Shipwrecks, Sirens, Slow Burn, University Students, Vengeful goddess, alcohol consumption, beau taplin, merfolk, shy loki, speech therapy, storms at sea
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:01:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24538912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpalSpirit/pseuds/OpalSpirit
Summary: "So that is what you are," she whispered, voice soft with wonder.He nodded, the shyness returning in a small smile."So beautiful," she murmured, canting her head to the side and smiling in return. Her keen eyes did not miss how the water rippled lightly as he moved to stay upright, the moonlight catching on the gray scales, turning them silver.Beautiful? A word used to describe his voice, but never his kind.
Relationships: Loki/Reader, Reader/Original Male Character
Series: Folktales AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799605
Comments: 10
Kudos: 122





	1. The storm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The_Sun_Forged](https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Sun_Forged/gifts).



"My goodness, if you take any longer we will not only miss the morning tide but the evening one too."

"Will you give it a rest? My alarm didn't go off because my phone refused to charge. At least let me make my tea and then we'll make tracks."

Marguerite Altier was not known for her patience and sighed heavily. "Why can't you drink coffee for a change? At least then I know you'll be awake faster."

Y/N shook herself as though revolted and proceeded to pour the steaming liquid into her kelp decorated travel mug. "Tea is much better," she muttered in reply.

"How very English of you."

Winking at her best friend, Y/N sauntered past her, mug in hand and waterproof jacket in the other. "Shall we?" She asked cheekily, holding the door of their shared room open. "Can't miss the tide."

"Oh shut it," the brunette grumbled, shouldering her bag and passing Y/N hers. With a half-hearted glare, she walked through the open door and waited for her companion to lock the rented room before the pair headed down to the lobby.

The small inn was quiet and it was no surprise, the sun had not yet risen. The whole establishment was still asleep. As quietly as they could, the two women tiptoed to the main doors and eased them open.

The docks were not far from the inn, thus allowing them to make their way there on foot.

"You're gonna have to drive today," Y/N said as they walked along the jetties to where their university-issue yacht was docked. "At least for the morning. I am nowhere near awake enough yet."

"Are you ever?"

"I drove yesterday," Y/N protested, gently tossing her bag into the boat before stepping in after her.

"No," Marguerite argued, "you _said_ you wanted to drive yesterday. Only to doze off the moment you sat down."

Chuckling, Y/N shrugged on her jacket, zipping it all the way up before hugging her mug close. "I can't help it if I'm not a morning person."

"You would think you would be," her friend muttered. "We've been here long enough."

"Unfortunately I don't function that way."

"Lucky me," Marguerite retorted.

Setting her mug to the side, Y/N climbed around to the front of the yacht and loosened the ropes that held the boat secure through the night. Clambering back down, she saw Marguerite finish coiling the back ropes before storing them safely away.

The engine came to life just as the sun peeked over the mountains behind them. With practiced ease, Marguerite steered the vessel out of the berth, out of the harbour and finally out into the open ocean.

Taking a deep breath, Y/N filled her lungs with the salty air, the cool of the morning stinging her cheeks as the yacht sped over the water. Draining her now lukewarm tea, she moved to stand beside her friend. "There is nothing quite like it is there?"

Marguerite shook her head, a faint smile curling her lips. The soft light of early morning caught on the golden strands in her otherwise dark hair. "No," she breathed, "no there isn't." The beauty of the sea was never lost on her, or Y/N for that matter. Both women were enthralled by the vastness of the ocean and wonders that lay beneath the surface.

Sighing happily, Y/N moved to stand by one of the railings, content to watch the water as it skimmed past, crashing gently against the hull. It did not take long for something below the surface to catch her attention. It was bigger than any fish she was familiar with and made her smile as it matched their speed. "Hey Margi?" She called. "I think we have company."

"That didn't take long," her friend replied laughing. "Is it that pod of dolphins again?"

Y/N shook her head and grinned in fond memory of the pod. "No, though quite frankly I'm not sure what it is."

"If its still with us when we stop I'll take a look."

Nodding, Y/N turned back to the water and saw the shape still beside them. She knew what sharks looked like, heavens knew she had seen plenty of those. "What are you?" She asked softly, as though the creature could hear her from beneath the water.

Before long, Marguerite slowed the yacht down and eventually stopped it, allowing it to bob for a few moments as she made to ready the anchor. "Is it still there?"

Peering into the water, Y/N shook her and pouted when she faced her friend. "I can't see it anywhere."

"Shame," she muttered as she tied her hair into a secure bun. "I would have liked to take a closer look."

Humming in agreement, Y/N did the same with her hair and stripped off her jacket and pants to reveal the full length wet suit she had donned before they left.

"You've been wearing that this whole time?" Marguerite asked, staring at her best friend.

Y/N nodded, clearly pleased with herself. "It was cold so I figured I'd layer up _and_ save time." Grinning, she began to assemble her equipment and double checked everything. The last thing she needed was for something to malfunction while she was down below.

"I hope you have a change of clothes," Marguerite piped up as she adjusted the strap on her fins. They had almost fallen off last time.

"Of course I did," Y/N replied and pointed to her bag, "I'm not a barbarian."

"Got everything?" Marguerite asked, her equipment securely strapped to her.

Patting herself down, Y/N nodded and moved to join her at the back of the boat. "Shall we?"

Marguerite nodded eagerly and sat down, allowing her fins to enter the water first. Biting back a small gasp at the icy temperature, she slowly slid in and only when she was fully submerged did Y/N join. 

It was the same every time. Y/N was convinced she had left earth, for it seemed like a completely separate world. Nodding to Marguerite, who in turn nodded back, both women went their separate ways. One to examine the marine animal life, while the other went about closely examining the marine plant life.

The corals quickly became her favourite. They bloomed in colours she had never seen before. Quickly taking out her clipboard, Y/N quickly scrawled a few notes, the waterproof pencil dancing over the page.

Stowing them away, she swam closer to a rather beautiful collection of the healthiest kelp she had ever seen. Steadying herself in the water, Y/N reached out, her hand stopping just short of the swaying plant. Movement out of the corner of her eye had her attention snap away. Turning in the water, she could only see Marguerite a short distance away, no doubt cooing to the small school of fish that hovered before her.

Shrugging, she turned back to the kelp. The sunlight from above filtered down and made her smile at the dappled patterns it created. Curious, she swam forward, gently parting the kelp, missing the dark shape that darted behind the arrangement of rocks to her right. A shape of something that peeked slightly over the edge, curious eyes following her as she made her way through the small forest.

Diligently collecting samples as she went, Y/N made sure her fins did not accidentally brush against anything. Time passed her by in such a fashion that she became oblivious to her surroundings though not forgetting where she was. She smiled and spoke softly to the gently swaying plant life, not noticing how closely she was being watched. Not by Marguerite who had followed a school of fish elsewhere. But by something, or _someone_ else.

Every action of hers was seen, even the movement of her lips from behind the mask.

Her unseen observer dared to move a little closer, curiosity being the cause. It had been so long since he had seen a human this close. Her legs moved only slightly as the water buoyed her.

A light tap on her shoulder had Y/N swearing under her breath in shock. A grinning Marguerite greeted her.

Canting her head to the side, she looked questioningly at her friend and nodded in understanding when she motioned towards the boat. The water around them was slowly darkening as the end of the day neared.

Securing her samples and notes, she followed the brunette back to the boat and waited until she had hauled herself up before poking her own head above the water. The sight of imminent storm clouds caught her attention right away. Swallowing hard, she accepted Marguerite's hand and pulled herself from the water, shedding the diving mask and tanks almost immediately.

"Aside from the obvious clouds," Marguerite was saying as she hunched over the radars. "The monitors say that a rather nasty storm is headed this way."

"How much time do we have?" Y/N asked, padding her way over and looking down at the screens. "Not that much," she whispered, answering herself. Looking back up, she met the concerned gaze of her best friend. "We need to go. We need to go now."

Not bothering to change out of the wetsuit, Marguerite leapt to the consol and started the yacht's engines.

It wasn't long before the wind picked up, forming the once calm sea into a painting of crashing waves. Y/N clung to the railings, her eyes glued to the much-too-distant harbour. The lights of the sea-side town were not yet visible, hidden by the rain that was now coming down in sheets.

Neither said a word as the boat pitched and rolled violently in the boiling sea. Marguerite dared not look to her friend, no matter how she longed to. She had to get them home as safely as she could.

A particularly nasty wave came and crashed into the yacht, sending both women sprawling, slipping and sliding as they fought to right their footing. Their precious equipment had long been swept overboard, much to the dismay of both of them. The movements of the boat became so violent that everything swung open and loose and the deck became a mess of mooring ropes and even the anchor was soon added to the mix.

A cry of pain from Y/N had Marguerite whip in her direction. Horror turned her blood to ice as she saw red stream across the deck, mixing with the water. The red that came from a nasty looking gash in Y/N's calf. A gash caused by the anchor as the growing wind and the movements of the boat had tossed it in her direction.

"Y/N," she cried over the wind and held out a hand to the injured woman.

By some miracle she had heard her, a miracle that quickly became a disaster as the force of an oncoming wave capsized the boat, flinging both women into the roiling sea.

Fighting against the pummelling waves, Marguerite struggled to keep her head above the water. Terror seized her when Y/N was nowhere to be seen. "Y/N?" She screamed, the howls of the wind immediately swallowing her desperate cries as she called again and again. The saltwater scorched her throat as she was forced to swallow often mouthfuls of it. "Y/N?" 

Taking a deep breath and seeing no other option, she ducked below the raging surface. Forcing her eyes open, she saw very little. The salt stung her eyes as she looked all around. Nothing. No one. Her heart thundered in her chest as blood rushed in her ears.

A forceful push from below had her breaching the surface. Gasping for air, she looked around and would have shrieked in surprise had the waves not been attempting to drown her. Emerald green eyes stared back at her. Eyes that dared her to dive below again. Ebony hair was plastered to his pale skin as he regarded her. "Who are you?" Marguerite attempted to ask.

The man only shook his head and gave no warning before he disappeared again, ducking below the surface.

Mere moments later he resurfaced with an unconscious Y/N in his arms. She rested limply against him and before Marguerite had time to feel relieved, she felt what she presumed to be his arm, wrap around her waist.

Then, he began to swim. Despite the waves, he ploughed through them, not even slowing as the town lights blinked into view.

Never had she been more relieved to see the harbour. Though the storm did not seem so severe here. While there was a wind, it was nothing like the gale that had helped to capsize their boat.

He began to slow as they neared one of the town's beaches. With the arm that held her, he wordlessly urged Marguerite to swim to shore. Making to protest, she looked back at him and was startled to see that his eyes were none she had not seen with any human being before. Only with fish. A forceful push from him sent her careening towards the shore.

The moment she could feel the sand beneath her feet, Marguerite turned back around and what she saw confused her. He had not sent Y/N to shore as he had with her. No. He appeared to be cradling her close to him as he swam closer to shore. The way he held her was gentle, allowing her head to rest in the crook of his neck.

As he reached the shallows however, he let her go before quickly turning and disappearing back below the surface. Had Marguerite's attention not been solely consumed by concern for her friend, she might have looked up and seen the tip of a tail vanish into the water.

Pulling Y/N from the water and cradling her close, Marguerite remembered the injury caused by the yacht's anchor and looked to Y/N's leg. It had been bound in something that closely resembled the kelp Y/N had been exploring a mere few hours before. But it was no seaweed that secured the plant to her friend's leg, but a ribbon of the most beautiful green Marguerite had ever seen. And from the ribbon hung a small stone. An emerald.


	2. Don't wake the Devil...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You were a risk, a mystery, and the most certain thing I'd ever known.
> 
> ~ Beau Taplin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up..a bit of mild swearing near the end of the chapter.

Though out of sight, he had not left. He could not bring himself to.

He knew he had made a mistake when he had saved those two humans. He knew that there would be hell to pay from the one who had caused the storm.

The storm itself had long since cleared away, leaving the night sky scattered with stars and the waters of his home still and calm. As the moonlight played with the waves, he pulled himself up onto a rock not far from the bay.

The water lapped softly at the rock and rippled as his tail absently moved to and fro. A soft sigh left him as he gazed at the human settlement. Where in that scattering of buildings and lights did she reside? This curiosity for the world on the surface had often been a cause for concern for his family. They did not understand why he found the humans so fascinating. They did not understand how someone like him would want to learn more of a race he preyed upon. 

The memory of her drifting down and tangled up in ropes haunted him. She had not been trying to free herself, even as her blood flowed from the wound in her leg. What else could he have done but swim to her as fast as he could? What else could he have done but free her and return her to the surface? She had lain limply against him and had it not been for the faint pulse in her neck, he would have been convinced that Rán had won. That yet another soul was hers.

The relief he had felt upon seeing her shakily stand with the help of her friend, was astounding. He had seen her look over the bay, thankfully missing him as he watched from behind a cluster of rocks.

She would undoubtedly be asleep now. Resting peacefully after the chaos of the storm. He soon found himself imagining what she would look like, at peace and not at death's door. Her breathing even and her heartbeat calm. Had she seen the emerald he had left?

Shaking his head, he looked down at the water and smiled softly as he saw the stars reflected in the dark surface. He had no desire to return just yet. Though his little expeditions were now well known, his father would no doubt send out a search party.

The night breeze played softly with the drying strands of his hair. It had been some time since he had last spent so long above the surface. Raking his hand through his hair, he sighed. Who was she to capture his attention so? She was no different to the others of her race and yet, it was more than curiosity that drew him to her. He found himself imagining what her voice sounded like. He had heard her friend, but not her.

Y/N. He had heard her friend scream it as she searched for her. In truth, it was her cries that had caught his attention. The terror in her voice propelled him towards them. "Y/N," he murmured to himself, finding that he enjoyed the way it sounded, spoken in his accented voice. A name so different to the ones he was used to and so different from his own. "Y/N," he softly repeated, his eyes drifting upwards towards the night sky.

~ ~ ~

Thankfully it was well after dark by the time Marguerite managed to get them both back to the inn. Y/N had woken, spewing saltwater like a fountain. She had been trembling all over and had clutched at her best friend with claw-like hands.

Y/N, who now lay fast asleep on the couch beside her, both legs resting on Marguerite's lap. Her injured leg was the focus for her, though now all that remained was an ugly scar. One that confused Marguerite to no end. By the time she had unwrapped the kelp, the wound had healed. Y/N had been too preoccupied to notice anything.

Both women were exhausted. The storm had rattled them both. If it hadn't been for their mysterious savior, nether would be there. They would have sunk to the bottom of the ocean, right alongside their equipment and boat. Marguerite paled at the mere thought of the call she would have to make. That they would both have to make.

Looking down, she smiled wearily at Y/N. Curled up in her pajamas and with her freshly washed hair slowly drying, she looked peaceful. The glimmer of something green caught Marguerite's attention. In her hands, Y/N was holding onto the emerald and ribbon that Marguerite had given her after she had unwrapped her leg. Curious, Marguerite reached out and carefully extracted it from her friend's grasp.

It was beautiful to be sure. It hung suspended from the ribbon by a clasp of sorts and was cradled by an intricate and wonderfully delicate webbing of gold. It was unlike any piece of jewellery she had ever seen, as though it came from another time and place. Though it was not the webbing that caught her attention, but the stone itself. It did not bare facets as many other gems and precious stones had. Its carvings resembled a shell, a [_Shark Eye_](https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/258042253627679600/) to be exact. Lifting it to the light, Marguerite could have sworn that the centre glowed and pulsed gently.

Shaking her head and convincing herself it was from exhaustion, Marguerite gave the emerald back to the sleeping Y/N, softly curling her fingers around it once more. Gently easing her friend's legs off her lap, Marguerite rose from the couch and pulled the blanket from Y/N's bed, draping it over her prone form.

Shuffling to bed and dulling the lights, Marguerite fell promptly asleep, completely unaware of the fact that Y/N's sleep was anything but peaceful.

Behind her closed lids, Y/N relived it all, only this time, there was no one to save her. No arms snatched her up and pulled her to the surface. There were only a pair of faintly glowing blue eyes that looked up at her from the dark depths and a smile that was both warm and terrifying at the same time. Hands reached up to her, cold hands that closed around her ankles and soon began to pull her down.

No matter how hard she kicked and wriggled, the grip did not relent. _"Komtilr mik, minn sváss."_ The voice was unmistakably female and spoke in a language Y/N did not know. _"Komtilr mik."_

The voice echoed in her ears long after she woke, dripping in sweat and panting loudly. Shivering, she sat up and pulled the blanket around her shoulders. Huddled on the couch, she looked down at what she held, in the dark it was a little hard to see. Unwilling to wake Marguerite, Y/N hesitated to switch on the lights and settled for trying to figure out what it was.

By the time the sun had risen, she had not slept, not wanting to see anymore of those nightmarish eyes or hear that sickly sweet voice.

As the sunlight peeked into the room, so did the true realisation of what had happened. The university would have to be informed as to what had happened. Clutching the stone as though for comfort, Y/N stood on shaky legs and looked down to see a nasty scar run the length of her right calf. She vaguely remembered the blinding pain that came from the anchor slicing into it.

Shaking her head, she went about making herself a cup of tea. By the time she returned to the living area, Marguerite was awake and waiting for her. She looked as terrible as Y/N felt and she was sure that she herself did not present the best picture.

"You know what we have to do," she said by way of greeting and simply watched as Y/N slowly nodded her head, steadily growing paler. Her hands were shaking where they held the mug. "Sit down though," Marguerite said gently, "you look as though you're ready to keel over."

~ ~ ~

He did not know how long he waited, but as the sun rose, he knew that it was time for him to leave. He had no intention of being discovered, least of all by those who were already suspicious of the waters surrounding their home.

Casting one last glance at the cluster of buildings, he dove cleanly back into the water. The morning sunlight shone brightly, even through the water. It caught on every fish that darted by, glimmering off their scales, so much more than his own. Swimming deeper, he saw something that immediately caught and held his interest.

Upon swimming closer, he saw that it was the remnants of the vessel the two women had been on during the storm. The metal shards glittered dangerously and dared him to touch them, to see if they were as sharp as they appeared.

Extending a hand, he let it hover over the metal before quickly drawing it away again.

Casting his eye over the wreckage, his eye caught on something. Narrowing his eyes, he swam closer. The object was small and unlike anything he had ever seen. Black in colour and fit into his palm. A good portion of it was cracked and bore no sign of life. Something long and black dangled from the top with a metallic tip. With the strange object held securely, he continued to explore the wreckage, even coming across what appeared to be some writing, but in a language he could not quite make out.

Waiting until the water darkened and the sun sank below the horizon, he carried his finds with him as he neared the bay. A quick surveillance of the beach told him he was alone. Breathing out a sigh of relief, he swam right into the shallows and carefully deposited the items a safe distance away from the tide-line.

The sensation of the cold sand against his tail was not one he had felt for some time. Quickly disliking it, he made a rather quick journey of it and entered the water with no small amount of relief. With one last glance over his shoulder, he dove beneath the surface.

~ ~ ~

"It won't be that bad," Marguerite muttered to herself for the hundredth time that day. The laptop sat open on the coffee table before her. Y/N had periodically left to make herself cup after cup of tea. 

Y/N who now stood by the window, her fifteenth cup of tea cooling in her hands, the emerald had long since been fastened around her neck and glimmered softly in the lights of their room. "I don't see why we have to do this," she spoke up. "I mean, what they don't know can't hurt them, right?"

Marguerite stared at her best friend in blatant shock. "That boat was university property, it was lent to us in good faith. Not to mention all of our equipment." 

"You're gonna be the one doing all the talking then," Y/N sniped, taking a sip of her tea, hissing as it burnt her tongue.

"Ohoho no no," Marguerite shook her head and laughed grimly. "They're gonna hear this from the both of us." Before Y/N could so much as breathe in protest, Marguerite had clicked on the Skype call.

Both women fidgeted as the dial sound came through. The time difference landed them on the hour before midnight.

"Maybe he's asleep," Y/N murmured hopefully into her cup. "I definitely think he's asleep."

"You could be right," Marguerite replied, earning a small smile from her friend. "It would be rude of us to wake him."

"Right you are," Y/N muttered and watched as Marguerite reached over to disconnect the call and close the screen.

That moment never came. "The two of you had better have a brilliant explanation for this."

Both swallowed hard and forced themselves to meet the tired, unimpressed eyes of their former lecturer and Marguerite's mentor, Professor Duncan Silver. His dark eyes surveyed them both. "Well?" He demanded. "Out with it."

"Well," Marguerite began, "good evening Sir."

"Skip the pleasantries Altier," he sighed impatiently. "Why have you two seen fit to wake me up in the middle of the fucking night?"

"You see," Y/N spoke up, hating how her voice trembled. "We um, we ah-"

"You what?" He asked, "Altier, make some sense of what Y/L/N is attempting to say."

Nodding as though her head was on a spring, Marguerite clenched her hands together in her lap. "Therewasastormandwelosttheboatandalltheequipment."

"Try that again," Duncan said, "but in English this time."

"Your turn," Marguerite mumbled, lightly nudging Y/N.

"Remember the boat you gave us Sir?" Y/N said in perhaps the smallest voice either had ever heard from her.

"Yes?" Duncan replied slowly, a warning entering his low, sleep graveled voice.

"Well uh," Y/N continued and glanced sideways at her friend. "There ah, may have been a storm."

Duncan's eyes narrowed as he regarded the two women. "What is it that exactly that you are trying to say Y/L/N?"

"We lost the boat," she whispered, not daring to look up. "All the equipment too. We were lucky to make it out alive."

Silence settled over them. A heavy, oppressive silence.

"You lost the boat?" He repeated after a few moments. "And everything else we gave you?"

Both nodded.

"Well fuck me," he groaned. "This is not exactly the progress call I was hoping to get from either of you. This is gonna cause quite a riot when I present this to the research committee in the next meeting. Actually better yet, the two of you will do it. Expect emails with your return flight details. You're coming home." 

With those words the screen went dark and the two women were left staring at where his face had been.

"Did he just say-?" Marguerite spluttered, eyes wide in shock.

Y/N nodded and gulped audibly. "I'm afraid he did."

The best friends looked at each other and sighed. "We are so screwed," they said in unison as they flopped back against the sofa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Komtilr mik, minn sváss = Come to me, my sweet.
> 
> Translated from the old norse.


	3. Part of her world...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was the beautiful dream I had been searching for. The one to wake me up. 
> 
> ~ Atticus

The moment they touched down, both Marguerite and Y/N knew that the journey back to the university was going to feel much longer than their flight.

Unfortunately for them, Professor Silver towered above the general populace and spotted both women a little too easily amongst the crowd of arrivals. "Altier," he called, "Y/L/N, over here."

Y/N shuddered at that voice and she felt Marguerite stiffen beside her. Both were prepared for the tongue lashing they would both undoubtedly receive. Collecting their luggage, both trundled over to where their towering Professor awaited them.

"I parked in the red zone," he told them, "lets get moving."

With mumbled replies, both followed him from the main hub of the airport and dutifully stacked their luggage in the back of his four-wheel drive. Neither wished to ride shot-gun, least of all Marguerite.

The drive from the airport was a quiet one, much too quiet.

Y/N did not feel the relief she ought to have felt upon coming home. Reaching up, she let her fingers curl around the emerald that hung from its ribbon. She found its presence calming, despite its origins and how she had received it.

"Both of you will speak," Duncan was saying, looking at each of them in turn through the review mirror. "I have given them a heads up, but it will be up to the two of you to explain it all in detail. Am I understood?"

Y/N nodded mutely while beside her, Marguerite muttered, "yes Sir."

Before long, Oxford University loomed before them and both women swallowed audibly. Nodding to each other when the car stopped, they opened their doors and stepped onto the gravel. Y/N closed the door with a little more force than necessary and flushed under Duncan's accusatory glare. "Sorry," she muttered before following him and Marguerite into the main hub of the university.

The campus was well known to them, having both completed their degrees there and now being in the process of completing their doctorates. Well they were, until the storm hit. The last time either had spoken with the research committee had been a little under a year ago.

Before they knew it, the dark oaken doors of the meeting room appeared before them.

"Here goes," Marguerite muttered under her breath as Duncan pushed the doors open to reveal a horseshoe-shaped table arrangement. All eyes focused on the trio and Y/N felt herself shrink under the weight of their stare.

Entering the room, both attempted and failed to appear composed.

"Miss Altier, Miss Y/L/N," one of the committee members spoke up. She was a sharply dressed woman with gleaming black hair that was coifed to perfection and stunning blue eyes that pinned them to the spot. "We have been informed that you have some rather unfortunate news for us?"

Y/N nodded. "I regret to inform you and all the members of the committee that what you have been told is correct. My colleague and I have experienced the most extreme of setbacks and unfortunately, it affects you all and the university as well."

The lady who had addressed them, a Mrs. Amelia Blackwell, eyed both women through eyes that had become snake-like in nature. "And what might this setback be, Miss Y/L/N?"

Y/N found that her lips had become suddenly quite dry and thus deemed it necessary to lick them before answering. "A storm, Mrs. Blackwell. A very strong one too."

"Is that so?" Mrs. Blackwell murmured before turning her attention to where Marguerite had found a new interest in the plush carpeting. "Miss Altier, what have you to say for yourself and your colleague? I find it very hard to believe that two scientists such as yourselves, would have been unable to predict the onset of such a nasty weather front."

"It must indeed appear most suspicious to you all," Y/N spoke up, her nerves not allowing her to remain silent. Not as Marguerite's apparently were. "But, as part of our research, the moment we arrived in Iceland, we have carefully monitored the weather so as to know the optimum times to be out on the water."

"I do believe I asked Miss Altier, not you," Mrs.Blackwell remarked, "but since you have spoken, you will be the one to tell us all, in detail, what exactly happened to the assets we provided you with. Professor Silver made it sound most grave."

"That would be because it is," Y/N replied, silently cursing Marguerite for her silence. "The storm was perhaps the most violent I have ever come across and our scanners did not register its presence until it was too late. Both Marguerite and I were thrown overboard and our equipment had long since been swept away."

"And the boat?" Mrs.Blackwell asked, her voice a little too calm.

"Sunk," Marguerite finally spoke up. "It sunk."

"Sunk?" Another member of the committee spoke up, a middle-aged gentleman with black, square-framed glasses.

"Indeed Mr. Collins, Sir," Y/N replied. "And our equipment along with it."

"Do you two have any idea just how much went into this endeavor of yours?" Mr.Collins demanded.

"A small fortune I dare say," Marguerite muttered, earning a side-glare from Y/N.

"I understand your anger Sir," Y/N said, smiling apologetically at the man. "But Marguerite and I are not the first students from our field that have experienced such setbacks, surely?"

"To such an extent?" Mrs.Blackwell asked, "yes. You two are the first. You were right about one thing Miss Y/L/N, this has impacted us greatly. It is unlikely that the university will allow you to continue your research for some time, at least until alternative means have been found."

"Our research is to be suspended?" Marguerite asked, shocked and exchanged a wide-eyed look with Y/N. "For how long?"

"The period of time is uncertain."

"Of course it is," she mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"But we will be able to continue," Y/N asked, a hint of desperation leaking into her voice. "Won't we?"

"In due course."

~ ~ ~

Braving the waters near the settlement once more, he dared to swim a little closer. Had they seen the salvaged equipment he had left for them?

"It has to be from them, I'm telling you."

Quickly, he ducked below the wooden pier, just in time.

"How could you possibly know that?" A second voice chimed in, also male.

"Did you ever see those two?" The first speaker said, "always carrying such equipment around with them."

"Yes well," his companion said, "I, for one, doubt they'll ever be coming back, so there is no use in keeping it."

Below the pier, he thought over what the two men above him had said. Could they possibly be speaking about the two women he had helped? Y/N and her friend, he never did learn her name. Pushing his thoughts to the side, he strained to listen for more, praying he had misunderstood.

"What were they anyway?" The second man asked.

"Word has it that they came here from England," his friend replied. "From Oxford University."

"How do you know so much?"

"Gossip and besides, my wife would speak with them sometimes."

"Why would they come here?"

"Marine research I think it was."

Now he was positive that it was Y/N and her friend that the two men were speaking of. Dread pooled in his stomach and a strange loss blossomed in his chest, a pain almost.

Praying that their conversation would hold their attention, he dove beneath the surface and swam from them. There was only one thing to be done if he were to stand a chance at ever seeing her again. There was only one person who would be able to accomplish what he had in mind.

The chances that Rán would help him were extremely slim, considering his actions during the storm. But he had to try.

So he swam deep, so deep that the water became black. It was not often that his people ventured this far and for good reason. Calling a small light to his palm, he saw the entrance to her abode. The sea was her domain, yet she dwelt in the dark. Swallowing back the fear that had begun rise, he swam on, pointedly ignoring the eels and other grotesque creatures of the dark she called her pets.

The moment he swam over the threshold, he felt it. Felt her. Rán's power was as immense as the seven seas and equally as powerful.

"Well if it isn't the little thief himself."

He really should have expected that in way of a greeting. "Good afternoon Your Ladyship," he replied with forced calmness.

"Let us skip the pleasantries Silvertongue," the goddess spoke, emerging from the shadows and smiling at him. "There are no formalities between a thief and the one he has robbed."

"You are no doubt referring to the two mortal women?"

"Who else?" The goddess spat, the water around her boiling in her rage. "You stole from me and now you dare to show your face where my power is strongest?"

He simply nodded. "I have come to ask a favour."

"A favour?" She repeated before laughing. "You have some nerve Princeling. First you steal from me and now you ask something of me? What could you possibly want that you cannot conjure up yourself?"

"I wish to visit the surface."

"Oh but you have," Rán replied, "you returned those two mortals to their world, did you not?"

"That is not what I meant," he said, "you know that."

"Do I?" She taunted, circling him, curling a lock of his hair around her sapphire blue finger. "You may have to be a little more specific, otherwise I may mistake your words."

Setting his jaw and gathering his resolve, he met her onyx gaze head on. "I wish to walk on land."

"Like the humans?" She asked, before erupting into a fit of giggles. "Whatever for? Do not tell me it has anything to do with one of those two mortals, does it?"

His silence was her answer.

"Oh this is precious," she cooed, clutching her hands together. "A siren that cares for a human. How delightfully ironic. I must say, I never saw this coming."

"Will you grant me my request?" He asked, bordering on impatient.

"This is no simple request you understand," Rán replied, absently running a black nailed finger along the wall of the cave. "There will be conditions."

"I understand."

"No," she murmured, shaking her head. "I do not think you do."

"Believe you me," he said, "I do."

"Believe you?" She laughed, "a known liar? A siren? No my little thief, I know better than to believe you. But since you are so ready to rush headlong into this, let me tell you of my conditions. First, you will return to the sea every second day to lure souls to me, for this you will return to your true nature."

"I understand."

"Second," she continued and began to circle him once more. "You will forfeit your voice. That which you use to speak, for I will need that enchanting singing voice of yours for the luring of those poor unfortunates."

He swallowed hard and nodded. "I understand."

"Thirdly," she said and backed slightly away to look him in the eye and smiled. "And lastly. Should she, this precious mortal of yours, ever hear you sing, you must allow her to come to me. You will allow me to take her for my own. You will not save her as you did before. You will not steal her from me as you have already done. She will be drawn to your voice as many have been over the centuries. For should you fail, your soul will be taken as payment, your voice will be mine for all eternity and you will be forced to watch as she ages and mortality takes her."

He said nothing. His silence amused the goddess.

"Having second thoughts?" She asked, batting her eyelashes.

"No," he whispered, shaking his head. "I have never been more certain of anything."

"You say that now," Rán whispered in his ear. "But wait until you are among them."

Opening her hand, she directed her gaze to his throat and soon a faint, silver light threaded its way through the water and pooled in her hand before it faded. "There," she said, satisfied, "one condition has been fulfilled. And now, for my part."

A soundless scream tore from his lips as her magic surrounded him. Encasing him in a cocoon of bubbles as his powerful tail was separated and was formed into two limbs. 

"Off to England with you," Rán murmured, and blew gently, her power taking him far from her and only leaving him once he had awoken, coughing and struggling for breath as he lifted his head from the wet sand.

He had made it. This was her world and hopefully soon, he would see her again.


	4. Poor unfortunate souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If I could tell my younger self one thing, it would be this: 
> 
> There are many things in life you can postpone, but love isn't one of them.
> 
> ~ Lang Leav (The Nature of Love)

The weather matched her mood just a little too well.

The sky was overcast by the time Y/N pulled on the brakes. The two of them had driven to the coast after their meeting at the university. A cold wind blew, one that came directly off the water and made both of them shiver.

Snatching up one of the towels they always kept in the back of the car, Y/N shed her shoes and rolled up her pants, all the way to her knees. "Come on," she announced to a sulking Marguerite who was still hunkered down in the passenger seat. "We need to distract ourselves."

Muttering mutinously to herself, Marguerite followed her friend's actions and soon, together they stepped onto the cold sand. Walking until they were at the shoreline, Y/N stopped and closed her eyes, breathing in the cold sea air. "There is no point in being angry about it," she said, freeing her hair to let the ocean breeze play with it. "It is not ideal and I am as disappointed as you are."

Together they walked along the shore, the damp sand coating their feet. Pausing on occasion, Y/N would bend to examine the shells that lay scattered across the sand, sometimes even finding one that appeared more interesting than the others.

Marguerite's mumblings faded for Y/N as she wondered along the beach. Their situation was bleak, to be sure. They had devoted over a year so far to that research and to have it suspended like that, it was a nightmare.

The trip to Iceland had been planned for some time and was to be the crowing jewel of their efforts. It was rarely visited by marine scientists such as they and Y/N smiled faintly at the memory of how the townspeople had regarded them.

Smiling faintly, she crouched down as her eye caught on a rather unusual shell. Reaching out, she made to take it when the unmistakable sounds of someone coughing reached her ears. Alarmed, she looked behind her and saw Marguerite standing in the shallows, the towel wrapped around her shoulders and completely still. It was a peaceful picture to be sure, considering her mood.

Confused, Y/N looked before her and felt her eyes widen upon seeing the shape of someone crawling from the water. They seemed to be struggling to both move and breathe, she could see their shoulders heave from where she was.

Not thinking twice, she stood, wincing as her cramped knees straightened. Bundling her own towel in her arms, she hurried over to them, splashing lightly in the shallows as she did. Coming to a halt before them, she knelt once more, not caring when the seawater soaked into her pants. "Hello?" She said hesitantly.

The person lifted their head at her voice and she gasped softly. His eyes were as green as the emerald at her throat and his skin as pale as the first snow. Ebony hair was plastered to his forehead and neck and lightly along his heaving shoulders.

"You are shivering Sir," she murmured, "can you walk?"

When he weakly shook his head, she sighed, missing how he watched her every movement, how his eyes seemed to drink in the very sight of her, as though she would disappear should he blink.

Instead, she extended a hand. "Then I will help you," she said softly. "We have to get you out of the water first though, you'll catch your death otherwise."

Y/N inhaled sharply when she felt a cold hand take hers, looking down, she saw it was his hand and she smiled encouragingly. "Come." Tucking her towel under her arm, she took hold of his with her free hand and made to rise. The tight grip of his hand in hers alarmed her and made her look down. "What is it?" She asked kindly, sinking back down to her knees and looking him in the eye.

Wordlessly, he shook his head. A look entered his eyes that she was not quite familiar with.

"Is it your legs?" She asked, "are they injured? Is that why you can't walk?"

There was a brief pause before he shook his head again.

"Have you lost your voice?" Y/N whispered.

When he nodded, she sighed. "Oh well," she said, "hopefully some warm lemon and honey will help to bring it back. Then you can tell me what happened, but first, you can lean on me."

That proved to be a lot harder than she had imagined. He was heavier than his lithe frame suggested. She couldn't do this alone. "Marguerite?" She called, startling him. "Marguerite!"

It didn't take long to capture her best friend's attention. In no time at all, she was running across the sand, skidding to a halt a few feet away from them. _"Mon Dieu,"_ she gasped, "just what is going on here?"

"I need your help," Y/N replied, "that is what."

"Who is he?"

"Someone who needs our help," Y/N informed her. "He can barely walk and is shivering terribly. You have to help me get him out of the water."

"You can be awfully vague at times," Marguerite grumbled as she set her towel on the sand behind her. As she knelt beside him however, she recoiled. "You," she gasped.

Y/N looked to her friend in confusion. "I'm sorry? You know him?"

Shaking her head, Marguerite blinked before looking at him again. "I don't know," she murmured, eyes sweeping over him. "I feel as though I have seen him somewhere before."

"Can we figure that out later please?" Y/N asked, impatience bleeding into her soft voice.

"Good thing we have the towels," Marguerite piped up, as together, they bore his weight and slowly helped him to stand and come out of the water. "Cause he ain't got nothing on."

Y/N blushed furiously before she ducked her head, "I have eyes Marguerite, I can see." Instantly and to keep herself busy, she wrapped her towel around his shoulders, blessing its size as it went past his knees.

"Its gonna be fun getting back to the car," Marguerite remarked, smirking at Y/N's attempts to cool her heated cheeks.

"That is why you're going to be getting it and driving down here," Y/N shot back.

"I hate driving on the sand, you know that," her friend whined petulantly.

"Do you have a better alternative?"

Marguerite scowled as she realised this was their best bet. Her sour mood returning, she stood, taking her towel with her and stomped off across the sand.

"Sorry about her," Y/N said the moment Marguerite was out of earshot. "We've had a rough day. A rough few days actually. She'll be better in a few days...." her words trailed off as she saw him looking rather intently at her throat.

With a trembling hand, he reached out and lightly brushed the emerald pendant resting against her collarbone. He smiled shyly as he met her questioning gaze.

"You know this?" She asked softly, her own hand coming up to trace the stone. "You have seen it before?"

He nodded.

She did not answer right away. The piece was unusual and not one that might be found in any conventional jewelry shop. It had been wrapped around her leg after the storm, or so Marguerite had told her and she was never one for tall tales. How could this helpless stranger recognise it?

Marguerite's arrival halted any words she may have said.

Settling him in the back seat, Y/N made to close the door when she felt his hand clutch her wrist, a pleading look in his eyes. Even without words, she knew what it meant. Sighing softly, she nodded before climbing in beside him.

The drive home was silent. Marguerite caught herself sneaking glances through the mirror. Y/N's head rested against the back of the seat, her eyes were closed and her breathing was steady. The emerald at her throat looked as though it pulsed gently, it's rhythm reminding Marguerite of a heartbeat. Her eyes narrowed however, when they landed on him. Like Y/N, his eyes were closed and his head was resting on her shoulder.

His eyes were different now. They looked like regular eyes and it was this that put her on edge. There was something about him that just wasn't right and she hated not knowing what.

~ ~ ~

They say that sound travels faster through water and never was this more true than now. The image in her hand faded as she laughed, the sound echoing out from her cave. Oh but this was perfect.

"This is no laughing matter," Prince Thor said, crossing his arms over his chest. "My brother is missing and we must get him back."

Rán shook her head at the Prince. "That cannot be done Your Highness," she replied, "your brother struck a bargain with me and he is bound to honour it."

"He did not know what he was doing," Thor protested, if he returned home without Loki, their mother would be beyond furious. "His curiosity got the better of him."

At his words the goddess sobered up. "Curiosity? This is no mere curiosity, at least not anymore."

"What are you saying?"

"What I am saying is," she explained. "Is that your precious brother knew exactly what he was doing."

"But why?"

"He owes me a debt," Rán said. "During the last storm, he rescued two mortals when their vessel threw them into the sea. One was even injured and he saw fit to heal her, even going so far as to bind it with one of the Royal gems." 

"Which one?" Thor asked warily.

At his question, Rán's already dark eyes darkened even more. "That is the best part of it all," she whispered, circling him, "he used his own."

Thor's eyes widened. "He did _what?"_

The goddess smiled widely and nodded. "Oh yes," she breathed. "He did indeed."

"But why would he do such a thing?" Thor asked desperately. "He is a-"

"Siren," Rán interjected softly, the word drifting through the water like a curse. "One who preys on the innocent and lures them to their death with nought but their voice. Your father knew this when he brought him home after the war."

"What?"

"It was no act of mercy that your father enacted that day," Rán replied. "He did not rescue the enemy's son out of kindness. No, he needed a weapon. A means to which to truly conquer the seven seas and the son of Laufey was perfect. His voice has brought down more ships than I care to count. He is as deadly as he is beautiful and she," here Rán paused and conjured up an image of the mortal woman, "is the only one who does not notice this."

Thor gazed at the young woman. She was beautiful, to be sure. There was no reservations in her actions as she patiently helped his brother walk for the first time. Her smile was kind and her eyes were gentle. He could not hear what she was saying but he saw her lips move all the same. Thor felt his heart sink when she smiled wider and his brother's eyes lit up.

"How is this possible?" He whispered.

"Your brother's mind and heart are tightly locked away," the goddess murmured, looking at the scene as it played out. "No one has ever found the key."

"Until now," Thor said, dismayed at what played out before them. The young woman had her arms outstretched towards him, his hands holding hers. As she moved backwards, he moved forwards. His steps were shaky but this appeared to please the woman, pride making her e/c eyes sparkle. She nodded and said something else before leading him slowly from the room.

"Surely this is merely a passing fancy," Thor said, looking to Rán. "Is it not?"

Rán shook her head. "No passing fancy would lead one to leave their home and family. Oh no, Your Highness. This is nothing of the fleeting sort."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mon Dieu = My goodness
> 
> Translated from the French.


	5. Into the unknown...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hold a dramatic and romantic concept of life; What doesn't touch my senses means nothing to me. 
> 
> ~ Pablo Neruda

Her voice greeted him as he woke. It was the first thing he heard. Though muffled, he heard her words and smiled upon recalling the past events. She had found him, along with her friend, her name escaped him at present, and had graciously given him shelter. Her voice was as he had imagined it, if not better. It was soft, yet it held an edge that dared anyone to challenge was she was saying.

What he lay on was soft and carried the faint smell of a flower he could not name. The memory of her encouraging words and smiles warmed him. She had been tireless in her efforts to teach him how one walked, even stood.

There was a faint shuffling before the chamber door opened and she hovered by the threshold. "You're awake," she said softly and smiled. "Here," in her hands she held what she liked to call a 'cup'. Steam curled gently from it. "I made you some ginger tea, but don't worry, I've put honey in there. Should take the edge off a bit," she added with a conspiratorial wink.

Oh how he longed to thank her with words, to tell her just greatly appreciated her efforts were. He settled for a smile of his own and nodded.

"Would you like some help getting dressed?" She asked sweetly. "Or do you think you can manage? The clothes I found should be around your size, a little on the smaller side, but still..." she soon trailed off and averted her eyes.

 _'Please,'_ he pleaded silently, _'please go on.'_

Shaking her head, she coughed lightly. "I apologise," she said, twisting her hands together, "I tend to ramble sometimes. I can't help it and I'm gonna stop now before your ear falls off."

With one last smile, she padded from the room, the bundle of clothing at the end of what she called a 'bed'.

Despite her earlier instruction, his new legs were still not quite used to supporting his weight. The absence of the water's constant support was new to him and had his voice still belonged to him, he would have made an attempt to call to her.

The cup was warm to the touch, the liquid inside a touch more so. It was pleasant enough to taste and eased the dryness of his throat. Her thoughtfulness touched him. She knew not who he was and yet did not hesitate to make sure he was well cared for. Her friend held back a little and seemed content with Y/N doing all the speaking. He had felt her eyes on him throughout the whole evening, only stopping when Y/N led him away.

The clothing however, presented a whole new challenge and one he was determined to tackle on his own.

Y/N greeted him with a welcoming smile as he stumbled his way to where she was. "Look at you," she praised softly, "we'll have to watch ourselves around you soon," she added, winking.

The smell of something warm reached him and she grinned upon seeing him try to figure out what it was. "Coffee," she explained, "Marguerite can't function without it. I would offer you some, but we have to be gentle with that throat of yours."

The smell was certainly interesting and he smiled shyly when she held out a hand to lead him to the table where an assortment of foods had been placed. "Come," she said, "join me. Marguerite will be with us soon."

Making sure he was seated, she placed another steaming cup before him. Choosing to sit opposite him, she selected a few different fruits for herself. "Go on," she said kindly as she saw him watching her. "I like to eat fruit in the mornings. Marguerite is more the hot breakfast sort. Take what you like."

Reaching out, he hesitantly selected a small pink fruit and put it in his mouth. It was sweeter than he was prepared for. Y/N's soft laughter drew his attention to her.

"Not to your taste then?" She asked, chuckling. "I admit, raspberries can be a little sour sometimes. Its a hit and miss."

In answer he shook his head and she smiled softly. "I hope we can help get your voice back soon. I am intrigued to hear what happened."

 _'I do not think you would believe me,'_ he replied silently. 

Y/N continued to eat a large portion of the fruits while he drank from the cup she had given him. A silence fell over them before a shuffling from behind them had Y/N lift her eyes and grin. "Well good morning sleepy."

"Oh stop it," Marguerite mumbled. "It's not even nine o'clock yet, this is early for me. Is that coffee?"

Nodding, Y/N smiled at her best friend. "Indeed. But you'll have to pour it, I always forget how many sugars you like or what kind of milk." With that, she turned back to her own breakfast, completely oblivious to the way he watched her.

While Marguerite busied herself by the stove and Y/N continued to eat, he watched them both curiously. The place in which they lived was filled with different plants and containers of water that bore tiny fish and more plants.

A knock on the door startled them both. "Are we expecting someone?" Y/N asked, casting a worried glance his way.

"Maybe it's Finn?" Marguerite suggested around a mouthful of toast.

Y/N rolled her eyes, "I don't think so. He hasn't been here in ages."

"Good thing too," Marguerite muttered.

"Careful," Y/N said, getting up. "We have a guest, so be nice while I answer the door." Padding over to the door, she pulled it open.

Marguerite eyed him over the rim of her cup. He appeared to be studying one of the fish tanks from where he sat. Y/N's ease around him surprised her. Aside from the odd visits from Duncan and Finn, the two of them generally didn't entertain. Y/N was never one for guests, until now it seemed.

"Professor?" Y/N's announcement had the blood rush to her face. "What a surprise."

"Are you going to let me in?" Duncan's deep voice rumbled.

Y/N's reply went unheard as Marguerite fumbled to smooth her hair and wipe the crumbs from around her mouth. Her simple attire didn't even cross her mind, he had seen her in less anyway.

Soon the hulking figure of Duncan Silver crowded into their living area, Y/N stepping around him. His dark eyes sparkled in brief amusement at Marguerite's tussled state. Confusion took over as he took in their guest. "Moved on already have we Y/L/N?" He asked as Y/N's cheeks became flooded with colour. "Would serve the bastard right if you had."

Marguerite snorted into her coffee at the shock on her friend's face as she shook her head. "No no," she said quickly and moved to stand in front of him. "He is my..." she trailed off as she thought before her eyes widened. "Cousin?"

"Why are you asking me?" Duncan asked, raising a thick eyebrow. "Is he or not?"

"Yes," she replied, nodding frantically. "Yes, yes he is. My cousin, that is." 

"I didn't think you had any."

"Very distant," Y/N said. "But definitely related. But unfortunately the poor thing has lost his voice, that's why he hasn't said anything. He's not being rude, I promise."

"Is that so?" Duncan muttered before looking to Marguerite. "You're up early Altier," he remarked and winked, earning a roll of the eyes from Y/N.

"It's one of those days," the brunette replied, setting her cup down and Y/N swore she winked back.

"What can we do for you?" Y/N asked, drawing Duncan's attention back to her.

"I know I was a little harsh on you girls," he said and folded his arms over his broad chest. "But you must understand why. The university doesn't lend their boats very often and you two know better than anyone what a fortune that equipment costs."

Both women nodded. "Is there anything we can do to make it up?" Y/N asked.

"Unfortunately not," Duncan replied and sighed. "It's a bit of a waiting game now unfortunately. It's up to the committee for when the research continues."

"So we won't be graduating by the end of the year then?" Marguerite asked, the disappointment clear in her eyes.

"It doesn't look like it," Duncan said, his tone apologetic. "I am so sorry girls."

"It's not your fault Professor," Y/N said, smiling kindly. "I am sure you did what you could."

Marguerite mumbled her agreement and looked morosely into her coffee cup.

"Despite the circumstances, it is good to have the two of you back," Duncan said, his gaze lingering for a second longer on Marguerite. "I had better get going, my classes won't teach themselves unfortunately."

Nodding, Y/N watched him head for the door and shaking her head as Marguerite followed.

Sighing, she sat back down and made to take up her tea cup again when she felt a hand rest lightly on hers. Surprised, she looked to him and saw him offer her a comforting smile and a small nod.

"Thank you," she whispered and gently curled her hand around his.

When she came back to the kitchen, Marguerite readied herself for a lecture from Y/N. When none came, she looked over to the table and frowned. She had not seen Y/N smile like that for some time. Even with Finn she didn't smile like that.

Opening her mouth to say something, she quickly thought better of it. Despite her suspicions, she said nothing. She watched as Y/N nodded and patted his hand with her free one before going back to her breakfast.

~ ~ ~

"He is _where?"_

There were not many things that Thor Odinson was afraid of. But his mother, in her anger, was truly something to be feared. The throne room was empty, having quickly become so after his arrival.

"On the surface, mother," he replied, not daring to meet his mother's gaze.

Queen Frigga took in the sight of her eldest and sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I certainly hope you can tell me why?"

Thor nodded. "I believe that his curiosity with the humans got the better of him when he rescued two of them during a storm."

"I knew that wouldn't end well," her husband muttered beside her. "Does Her Worship know of this?"

"Aye," Thor replied, sinking any remaining hopes his parents had. "He struck a deal with her in order to be as he is now."

"He made a deal with her?" Frigga repeated in a voice barely above a whisper, her eyes filling with dread.

The Prince nodded solemnly.

"As he is now?" The King asked, narrowing his eyes. "What is it you mean by that my son?"

"He is like the humans," Thor explained. "He wished to walk on land, that is what she told me."

Frigga said nothing but shook her head. All knew the implications of a deal struck with Rán. One never came out on top, only she ever did.

"There is more," Thor continued. "When he rescued those two humans, one was injured and he healed her and gave her his Royal gem."

"He did _what?"_

"Her?" Frigga said in the quiet that followed her husband's words. "It was a woman he rescued?"

Thor nodded. "They both were."

"What right had he to take that gem?" Odin demanded, looking to his wife. "How did he gain access to the vaults?"

"That gem is his birthright," Frigga replied, her eyes distant. "It is his to bestow upon whomever he chooses."

"But not a human," Odin snarled. "Nothing will come of it. Her race is a greedy one and she will, without a doubt, pawn it off the first chance she gets."

"Have you no faith in your son?" Frigga asked, rounding on him. "Yes, she may be human, but we must believe that Loki had a good reason for giving it to her."

It was as though the troubles of the Royal family was mirrored in the sky high above them. The clouds roiled and darkened to black and the waves rose as Rán herself broke the surface. Her famed net draped over her arms as her eyes locked onto a vessel that pitched and rolled in the waves.

Riding the waves, she closed in. Her sapphire blue skin gave way to the dark hue and texture of the deep sea creatures she was so fond of. Her dark eyes flashed like the lightning that forked across the darkening sky. She had not hunted for sometime and by the heavens, she had missed it. She could smell the terror of the sailors and their cries and screams made her smile.

Her voice became one with the howling winds as she called to them, her net unfurling and ready to snatch all those that fell into the sea.


	6. Now I see...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If it hurts more than it makes you happy then take the lesson and leave. You will be okay. Some people are only rehearsals for the real thing. 
> 
> ~ Beau Taplin (Rehearsals)

Her music pulsed gently in the background as she readied herself. Leaning in close to the mirror, Y/N secured the second earring and stepped back to inspect her ensemble. A green dress to match the emerald at her throat, it stopped just above her knees and complemented her sheer stockings that glimmered with gold if the light hit them just right.

Selecting a pair of simple black heels, she had slipped on the left shoe when a frustrated growl from a certain marine biologist caught her attention.

"Just stay still so I can kill you, you fat bastard."

A rather undignified snort burst from her at those words. Marguerite it seemed, was on the fly hunt once again. It was no surprise really, with all their plants and copious amounts of tanks filled with more plants and fish.

It was however only a few moments later that she heard her again, sounding more than a little annoyed. "Get those filthy claws of yours out of there!"

Alarmed, Y/N abandoned her right shoe and ran out the room, limping into the main living area. Her eyes widened upon seeing Marguerite curl a hand around their guest's arm, which up until that point had been submerged to the bicep in their biggest tank. In her other hand, she wielded the fly swatter and a dark spot on it revealed to a confused Y/N that it was indeed a dead fly.

"What in the world is going on here?" She demanded, hobbling her way to stand between them and forcefully removing Marguerite's hand. "Care to explain yourself?" She asked, pinning Marguerite with a glare.

"Care to explain _myself?!"_ Marguerite spluttered, eyes wide and pointed behind Y/N. "Why should I explain myself when it was him with _his_ hand in _my_ tank, wanting to grab one of _my_ fish?"

Closing her eyes, Y/N sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Mar please, be serious. Why were you threatening our guest with a dirty fly swatter?"

Marguerite gaped at her best friend. "It's the truth," she protested. "Ask him."

"Fine," she relented with a heavy sigh and turned to face him. "I am terribly sorry to have to ask this of you, but is my friend telling the truth?"

A deafening silence followed her question, one that was only made heavier by Marguerite's poisonous glare. A fine blush coated his pale cheeks when he looked down and nodded.

"See?" Marguerite crowed smugly. "I was right-"

"Shh," Y/N hissed over her shoulder before turning back to him. "I know you can't speak as yet, but could you do me a favour and offer an apology? Trust me, you don't want to live around a grumbling, sour Marguerite."

When he nodded, she smiled brightly. "Excellent. Marguerite?"

"Mm?"

"Hold out your hand."

"Why?"

Y/N sighed heavily, "just do it or I'll do it for you."

Muttering under her breath, she held out her free hand and flinched when a slightly cooler, slender hand took a firm hold of hers.

"Your turn Mar," Y/N said, folding her arms loosely and looking expectantly at her best friend.

"My turn for what?" Marguerite asked, having quickly dropped his hand after a quick but firm shake.

Y/N rolled her eyes. "An apology and before you say anything," she added, holding up a hand to silence a protesting Marguerite. "You will mean every word, believe you me that I will know if you don't."

"I don't see why I have to apologise," the brunette huffed.

Y/N's eyes widened, "you threatened our guest with a fly swatter and a dirty one at that! Impolite doesn't even _begin_ to top that."

Now it was Marguerite's turn to roll her eyes. "Do you English always have to apologise for everything? It's always about propriety with you lot. _You,"_ she said, pointing to Y/N with said fly swatter. "Especially."

"Fine," came Y/N's reply. "How would _you_ like it if your host threatened you in any way?"

"That would never happen," Marguerite stated confidently and lifted her chin. "And why are you even defending him?"

"You didn't answer my question," Y/N said, her tone bearing hints of impatience. "Give me my answer and I will give you yours."

"It would never happen because I would never try to eat their pet fish."

"Okay that's enough," Y/N said firmly and stood as straight as she could. "Pray tell, why would he want to do something like that? Your fish are smaller than others we've seen. They wouldn't even make half a meal. But that's beside the point. Apologise. _Now."_

"Or what?" Marguerite challenged.

Y/N raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to go down that road? Fine. If you don't apologise and mean it, I will quite happily inform Duncan that you have left for the country and do not wish to be contacted for the duration of your time away. For a whole month, maybe two, depending on how stubborn you're deciding to be."

When Marguerite's horrified gaze met her friend's, she saw no hint of a jest. Y/N was being entirely serious. "You're _using_ him against me?"

Y/N canted her head to the side and smiled. "It would seem so, yes."

"Fine," she grumbled and took a deep breath. "Sorry."

"I didn't quite catch that," Y/N said, "and I don't think he did either."

The sound of her grinding teeth could easily be heard before she spoke again and despite her tone, she sounded genuine. "Sorry."

"Much better," her friend praised and made to say more when a knock on the door cut her off. The door opened not a moment later and the trio were soon joined by the newcomer who looked more than a little confused at the situation he seemed to have walked in on.

"Finn!" Y/N exclaimed and smiled, perhaps a little too widely.

"Yippee," Marguerite muttered behind her and folded her arms.

The newcomer, Finn, looked to Y/N the moment she spoke. "Should I ask what's happening?"

Y/N shook her head. "No need. You came just in time, let me quickly grab my other shoe and my bag." With that, she limped from the room.

Marguerite narrowed her hazel eyes at the man. Where their guest was slender with evident muscle to him, Finn was skinnier than a rake and bore no upper body strength to speak of. "Where are you taking her tonight?"

"This new Italian place that just opened up in the heart of the city," Finn replied, his attention immediately caught by the tall, dark haired man standing behind the sofa. "I didn't know you had guests."

The edge to his tone was not missed by either of them and Marguerite bristled, unconsciously moving closer to where their guest stood. "What's it to you?"

"Nothing," Finn shrugged, his eyes not leaving the other man. "I just thought that maybe Y/N would have said something."

"Contrary to what you might believe, she doesn't have to tell you everything," Marguerite replied icily. "Least of all the arrival of her cousin, Andrew."

"She never told me she had any cousins," Finn murmured.

"Like I said," Marguerite said. "You don't have to know everything about her."

Y/N chose that moment to reappear, this time walking normally and looking a little more composed. "You ready?" She asked Finn.

Finn nodded. "Indeed I am. Shall we?"

The moment the door closed behind him, Marguerite let out a long and heavy breath before slumping against the sofa, almost sliding off of it. Catching herself in time, she turned to the newly dubbed Andrew. "We might as well watch something while we wait for her to get back. The dates are getting shorter every time." When she received no answer, she looked up properly and saw him looking in the direction they had gone. There was an emotion in his eyes that she could not quite decipher.

"Come on," she said softly. "I don't exactly trust you the way Y/N already seems to, but she wanted a truce between us."

Again, she was greeted with silence. "Andrew?" She whispered, hoping to gain his attention.

When he looked to her this time, she realised that maybe she could read that emotion after all. It was jealousy, mixed with a look so tender that Marguerite gasped softly. It had been a long time since Y/N had been looked at like that. 

~ ~ ~

The moment she stepped into the restaurant, she smiled. Among all the cuisines in the world, Italian always ranked number one for her. "This place is absolutely charming," she gushed as a waiter led them to their table.

Finn smiled across from where he was seated. "When I heard talk about it, I just knew I had to take you here."

"I love it," Y/N replied, smiling as she picked up one of the menus.

"Why didn't you tell me about your cousin coming to stay?"

Blinking, it took her a moment to remember who he was asking about. "Oh him," she said and took a sip of her sparkling water. "He arrived only yesterday."

"I thought you told me that your aunts and uncles never had any children?"

Sighing, she lay down the menu. "Well," she said and smiled tightly. "One of them did."

The growing tension between them was cut with the arrival of the waiter who came to take their orders.

Y/N watched Finn as he perused the menu and occasionally spoke with the waiter. His hemming and hawing was beginning to get to her. The dishes were not that complicated. At long last he made a decision and the uniformed young man nodded before leaving them to themselves.

"How's the research going?" Finn asked, leaning back in his chair. 

"If you had picked up the phone when I called, you would know," she replied. "Or responded to the text I sent you."

"I was-"

"Busy," she muttered, "I know. You're on semester break Finn. No assignments or exams and not once did you call in the all the time I was over in Iceland."

"There is no need to get testy over it," he replied, watching her. "You can just tell me now."

"Very well," she said and smiled. "What is it you would like to hear about first? The storm that capsized our boat? Or perhaps you would like to hear how Marguerite and I nearly drowned? Oh, no this is it, would you like to hear how all of our precious equipment and the boat itself now lies at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of a foreign country?" Her tone had remained calm throughout, but her eyes had hardened.

"I'm gonna head to the bathroom before the food comes, I'll be back in a flash," he mumbled and left the table before she could say anything.

Resisting the urge to check her phone for any form of distraction, Y/N decided to inspect the small vase of flowers that sat prettily at the centre of their table. Their colours made her smile and reach out to gently trace the shape of their petals.

So lost was she in her observation that a faint tinkling from Finn's phone made her jump. The illuminated screen drew her attention to the name displayed. Despite her innate sense of respecting the space of others, her curiosity got the better of her. Reaching over, she picked up the phone. Her eyes widened at what she saw, Marguerite's words of warning playing through her head. For so long she had clung to the hope that both Marguerite and Duncan were wrong about Finn. Her mouth went dry and she felt the sting of tears as she read the message thread. 

_Finn: I'll be out for a bit tonight._

_Emily: Okie. Thanks for the heads up. Give me a shout when you're on your way home ❤️._

_Finn: Will do. Love ya babe._

_Emily: 😘😘😘._

With trembling hands, she lay the phone down and forced herself to take a few calming breaths before continuing.

_Emily: I changed my mind 😜. I'll be waiting for you at your place and don't worry, I remembered my key this time 😂❤️._

Fighting to keep from hyperventilating, Y/N rested her head in her hands. Her heart hammered within her. Damn it all to hell!! She had been so blind, so stupid. Sliding his phone back to where she had found it, she swallowed hard and forced an expression of calm when Finn returned.

"Are you alright?" He asked, seeing the tight clench of her jaw.

The urge to laugh rose up before she quickly pushed it back down and nodded. "Everything is perfect, so much so that I have decided to ask them to make my food takeaway."

"I'm sorry?"

"This night has been lovely," she replied and stood. "But I wish to go home."

"Come on then," he said and made to stand. "The car is right out front."

"No," she said and pinned him with a look that dared him to say a word more. "I would rather walk the length of London in 9inch heels that get in the car with you."

"Y/N?" He asked, shocked at her cold tone.

"Your night at least is not wasted," she hissed, "now you will have plenty of time for Emily. You and I are through." With those words, she scooped up her bag and stalked from the restaurant.

The apartment was dark when she opened the door. Taking off her shoes, she padded into the living area and simply sat on the sofa. Staring into the darkness, she became a statue until the first tear came, shattering her hard won composure. Curling forward, she clutched her head in her hands and wept. Her shoulders heaved and her breaths were ragged. The sleeves of her dress were soon soaked through with tears as she felt part of herself die.

In the darkness only one other saw her tears and just how broken she really was. Roused by the soft sounds of her entrance, he had come to greet her. But the sight he was now witness to pained him more than even his language had words for. The quiet sounds of her sobbing tore through him and felt like a dull blade to the heart. The urge to comfort her surged up within him and yet he knew that perhaps she did not wish to be seen in such a vulnerable state.

Having made his decision, he made to leave when he saw her lift her head and look straight at him.


	7. Unbroken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My dear, never forget that he was just a raindrop, but you are the entire fucking storm. 
> 
> ~ Nikita Gill (Reading Graffiti)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick heads up, what is in italics is in a different language.... also, a bit of swearing too.

Marguerite woke to a sound that was both the most chilling and comforting she had ever heard. Curious, she forwent her dressing gown and slipped from the room. The sun had not yet risen, thus leaving the apartment still shrouded in darkness.

She soon found herself standing in the living area and discovered with no small amount of surprise, that the sound was actually a voice. A voice singing in a language she did not know.

_"...On yonder mountain-side a vine_

_Clings at the foot of a mother pine;_

_The tree bends over the trembling thing,_

_And only the vine can hear her sing:_

_"Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;_

_What shall you fear when I am here?_

_Sleep, little one, sleep."_

_The king may sing in his bitter flight,_

_The tree may croon to the vine to-night,_

_But the little snowflake at my breast_

_Liketh the song I sing the best,—_

_Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;_

_Weary thou art, anext my heart_

_Sleep, little one, sleep."  
_

As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she saw not one, but two figures on the sofa. One was holding the other. The soft light coming in from one of the street lamps gently illuminated a portion of the two figures. Y/N's hair glinted softly from where her head was rested against, was that Andrew's, shoulder? It took Marguerite a stunned moment to realise that the voice belonged to him. It was a smooth baritone and haunted the air around them. It was beautiful, perhaps the most beautiful she had ever heard. 

She could do little else but watch. It was evidently a very private moment and one she ought to have backed out from. But her feet remained rooted to the spot and her body would not obey her.

There was little else on her mind save for the song which had now faded into the partial darkness. She watched as he lifted Y/N as though she weighed no more than a feather. Her friend's head lolled forward with the movement. Her head now rested in the crook of his neck, her arms hanging limply as he carried her from the room.

Marguerite stared after them, blinking furiously. Had the loss of his voice all been an act? What she had just heard, why, it was positively unearthly. No one sang like that. Nothing human at least. Coming to her senses at last, she made for her room, but not before stopping just short of Y/N's door. What she had seen begged the further question, what had happened for Y/N to be in such a state in the first place? She had still been wearing what she had gone out in. Marguerite shook her head and sighed softly. It could only be one person and one thing.

Slipping back to bed, she settled under the covers, but sleep would not come to her. The song and Y/N's state of being haunted her and replayed before her eyes. Sleep would not come to her, not matter how hard she tried or how often she tossed and turned.

Emerald green eyes came to the forefront of her memory. Eyes that no human being ever had. She had not been imagining things had she? It had been real, it all been real. Those fish-like eyes and lightly clawed fingers as he gestured for silence.

Perhaps she was dreaming? She was known for having wacky dreams and often questioning reality in the morning while Y/N chuckled and shook her head, often pushing a cup of coffee in her direction. 

Huffing, Marguerite settled for glaring at the alarm clock. The bright blue of the digital numbers hurt her eyes and forced her to close them.

Morning came sooner than she had bargain for and with it, the obnoxious beeping of her alarm. Groaning, she flung an arm out, effectively shutting off the sound. Rolling to the side, she sighed upon seeing what time it was, true her alarm went off at nine, yet it still felt horribly early. After burying her face in the pillows for a good few seconds, she finally dragged herself out of bed.

The moment she entered the kitchen, she knew something was wrong. No one was there. There was no smell of the coffee that Y/N always had going in preparation. There was no Y/N. Usually an early riser, she was now nowhere to be seen. Even their little balcony was deserted and there was no trace of the breakfast preparations Y/N usually left behind as she ate.

Marguerite's mind went back a few hours and she prayed she was wrong. If what she had suspected had happened, then Y/N would be in the mood for only one thing. Cuddles and copious amounts of tea. Okay, that was two things.

Padding as quietly as she could over to Y/N's door, she opened it as softly as she could and poked her head in. What she saw broke her heart. Y/N was still fast asleep, clinging to Andrew as though he were her lifeline in a storm. It was evident that she had cried herself to sleep, the skin around her eyes was puffy and red and the green mascara had run down her cheeks.

Andrew looked up at her entrance and held a finger to his lips. His other arm was occupied as Y/N clung to it in her sleep.

Nodding, Marguerite edged into the room and closed the door behind her. Going to the bed, she sat on Y/N's other side and gently stroked some of the hair back that had fallen over her face. She snuffled lightly and gave a small hiccup that would have been adorable in any other circumstance.

The two of them sat there in silence, watching over her. Neither wanted to wake her before she did so herself.

The opening and slamming shut of the apartment door startled them both. Both looked automatically to Y/N, who remained sound asleep.

"I bet I know who that is," Marguerite hissed under her breath and got up from the bed, but not before kissing Y/N lightly on the cheek. "Stay with her yeah?" She asked softly, to which Andrew nodded and smiled softly.

Upon leaving Y/N's room, Marguerite stormed into the kitchen and living area. She came face to face with her suspect. "What do you want?" She snapped, folding her arms over her chest and pinning him with a glare.

"I need to speak with Y/N," Finn slurred, barely able to stand up without the support of the kitchen counter. "Where is she?"

"Firstly," Marguerite replied icily, "you don't get to come in here like you live here. Secondly, I know full well what happened. So the only way you're ever gonna see her again is if she decides to let you."

"I need to speak with her," he whined.

"The only thing you 'need' to do," Marguerite hissed, "is leave. You broke her heart like the fucker you are. She cried herself to sleep, did you know that? Y/N doesn't trust easy, made so that way by shits like you."

"Hey, you don't get to speak to me like that," he replied, the words running into each other.

"You disgust me," Marguerite muttered, curling her lip. "You are one hell of a lucky guy that I wasn't there when she discovered what a right fuckwit you are." Marching forward, she took hold of his shirt collar and yanked him upright before turning the direction of the door, pulling a flailing Finn with her.

"Let him go," came a soft voice from the hallway that led to the bedrooms.

Looking over her shoulder, Marguerite saw Y/N stand there. Her expression was blank and all signs of visible distress had been washed away. She no longer wore the clothes from the night before. Her hair was combed and neatly arranged. She appeared unnervingly calm.

"Not after what he did to you," she replied.

"Marguerite please," Y/N said and looked to Finn, who was openly staring at her. "Let us handle this like the adults you and I are."

Huffing, Marguerite finally nodded and practically threw Finn forward, causing him to land on his knees with a crack. " _Sac à merde,"_ she muttered under her breath.

"Y/N, babe-"

"No," she cut him off, "you no longer have the privilege to call me that. It is Miss Y/L/N now."

"But last night-" he started.

Y/N shook her head. "Last night was the end of us. I meant what I said, every word."

"You would do that to me?" Finn shrieked, "after five years!"

"I should have done it sooner," she replied and sighed. "I was blinded by my faith in you. I was determined to see you in a different light than what all others did. You proved them right and me to be a fool. My biggest mistake wasn't falling in love with you, oh no. It was trusting you to be different. I was warned over and over again, and yet I always chose to believe you instead of them."

Marguerite watched silently from the sidelines, only being vaguely aware of Andrew emerging from the shadows to stand beside her.

"You lied to my face Finn," Y/N continued, cutting through his spluttering. "And yet I never truly saw the signs. Or was it that I didn't want to? Most likely both."

"I loved you," he whined from his kneeling position, looking up at her. "I still lo-"

It was not words that silenced him now. It was a peal of laughter that was so cold that even Marguerite felt gooseflesh form on her arms. Andrew stiffened beside her, his hands curling into fists.

"You still love me?" Y/N said as her laughter faded. "Do you truly expect me to believe anything that comes out of that mouth of yours? You are lower than the dust Finn, and truth be told, I pity that Emily girl. I know that it won't be long until you cheat on her too." Crouching down, she took hold of his face and held it firmly. Forcing him to look her in the eye. "You ruin all that you touch. It is people like you that make up the scum of the earth." Standing back up, she looked down at him. "You are forbidden from returning here, am I understood?"

Silence answered her.

Pushing himself to his feet, Finn stood before her, swaying as he did. "You would dare to speak to me like that?" He snarled. "It is because of you that I am like this."

"Like what?" Y/N asked, folding her arms. "Unable to stand up straight? Seeing double too, I'm guessing. Not to mention, pissed beyond all coherent thought."

"You drove me to this," he hissed and made a grab for her, a move she deflected with a small wave of her hand. "If you hadn't said those awful words, I wouldn't have emptied the last whisky I had."

"My goodness," she breathed and shook her head. "It truly is a miracle how you even got here. I wonder, does your precious Emily know what a fool you're making of yourself right now?"

"Don't you say her name, you freak!"

"Freak?" She repeated, "how pathetic. Even drunk you aren't creative, much less when you're sober."

His eyes widened at her words and he lunged for her, only to be yanked back by another pair of arms.

Y/N smiled gratefully up at their guest, who nodded and held firmly to a struggling and swearing Finn.

"Now can we throw him out?" Marguerite asked, coming to stand beside him and glaring daggers at Finn.

"Get him out of my sight," Y/N replied, her upper lip curling lightly as they dragged him from the room and eventually, from the apartment altogether.

By the time the two of them returned, Y/N was sitting by the kitchen counter, staring into nothing.

In an instant, Marguerite went to her and engulfed her best friend in a crushing hug. "How you were able to stay so calm is beyond me," she said, her words muffled. "If it were me, I would have thrown him from the balcony."

Y/N laughed softly and returned the embrace. "His actions cut me deep, I won't deny it and it may take a while for me to recover." Pausing, she lay her head on her friend's shoulder. "Being calm and detached was my way of getting back at him. He knows how emotional I can be and I refuse to give him the satisfaction. I wept last night. There are no more tears to be shed for someone who is not even worth thinking about."

"I am so proud of you," Marguerite whispered, drawing back to look at her. "I do not know how you do it."

"The two of you helped," she said and looked past Marguerite. She held out a hand to him and smiled widely when he took hold of it. "The strength and support of you both truly helped me today."

"As we will everyday," Marguerite swore, "won't we, Andrew?"

"Andrew?" Y/N repeated, laughing. "First you threaten him, now you give him a name? Mar, you never cease to surprise me."

Marguerite shrugged and smirked. "He's gonna need a name if he's gonna live with us won't he?"

Y/N's laughter grew as she agreed with an enthusiastic nod. "Come here, the both of you," she said, opening her arms.

Following Marguerite's example, he wrapped one arm around her and the other around Y/N. The warmth in his heart grew as her arms tightened around him and her friend. Not in heartbreak this time, but in joy and acceptance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That lullaby is a poem written by Eugene Field, an American Poet. It goes under the name Norse Lullaby. 
> 
> Sac à merde = Bag of shit.  
> (From the French.)


	8. Haunted heart...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What a grand and beautiful force the immense and wildly unappreciated power of human touch. 
> 
> ~ Atticus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: mentions of smut, not explicit... quite vague now that I think about it

"Are you sure you wanna cover that up?" Marguerite asked, "it looks kinda badass."

Y/N snorted and shook her head. "It's ugly. And besides, I have a design already in mind."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhm," she nodded. "But I won't be spoiling it now," she added with a wink.

"Oh you spoil sport," Marguerite grumbled as they pushed the doors to the tattoo parlour open.

"Y/N? Is that you?" Called a voice from the back of the shop.

Andrew watched in mild confusion as Y/N's face lit up at the sound of the greeting. "Diego," she called back and waved back, smiling brightly.

Soon the owner of the voice came into view and smiled widely upon seeing her. "How you going darlin'?" He asked, embracing her.

Y/N laughed softly and returned the gesture. Diego was about Andrew's height and so Y/N stood on tiptoes. Drawing back, she looked up at him. "I'm good, but hey, there's someone I want you to meet before we get down to business." Stepping back, she nodded lightly to Andrew. "My cousin, Andrew."

Extending a hand, Diego nodded and smiled warmly. "A pleasure to meet you."

Andrew merely nodded and shook the offered hand.

"He's lost his voice," Y/N explained. "That's why he didn't say anything."

"Righteo," Diego replied before turning back to her. "Now, what's today's order of business?"

"A cover up," Y/N said. "Of a scar, to be precise."

"Come on over then," Diego said and gestured for her to come further into the shop.

Marguerite couldn't help herself and glanced to the side. Her eyes narrowed in confusion at the intense look in Andrew's eyes. Following his line of sight, she smirked. Diego currently had his arm around Y/N's shoulders as they chatted away. "Don't worry," she whispered to him, drawing a look of surprise. "Those two have been friends for some time. This isn't her first time here."

"Let's have a look then," Diego said the moment the four of them sat down. He winced as Y/N pulled up the fabric of her pants to reveal a calf-length scar. "How in the world did you get that?"

"Mar and I were out on the boat," Y/N explained. "A storm hit before we could make land and the boat capsized. This bugger," she pointed to the scar. "Was caused by the anchor."

"Youch," he whispered. "Did you have a design already in mind?"

Y/N nodded. "A diamond, in the shape of a heart and set in silver metalwork with smaller diamonds scattered throughout it and a teardrop-shaped diamond hanging below it."

"Never one to go for the little ones hey?" Diego asked, grinning. "Are we going realism, new school, watercolour?"

"Realism."

"I like it. Now, let me sketch something up for you and then we'll get started if you're happy?"

Y/N nodded and smiled. "Perfect."

The moment Diego departed, Marguerite and Andrew drew in close. "A diamond?" Marguerite asked. "Why that?"

"Considering everything that's happened lately?" Y/N murmured, looking intently at them both. "I need a little reminder that not everything breaks under pressure."

"You're tougher than any diamond," Marguerite replied, nudging her arm. "And much more precious. Finn was too blind to see it."

"You smooth talker you," Y/N muttered, feeling her cheeks heat.

When Diego returned with the sketch, she fell in love. "You like it?"

"You bet I do," she replied, "will it take long?"

"Roughly six hours."

" _Six hours?!"_ Marguerite repeated, shocked.

Y/N chuckled and nodded. "How else do you think he's gonna get all that detail in there? And besides, my other two took just as long."

"What am I going to do in six hours?"

"Take Andrew into the city," Y/N suggested and smiled warmly up at him. "He's only seen our apartment so far. Go on," she said with a wink. "I trust you to keep him safe."

A look from Andrew had Y/N take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. "Go on," she said softly and smiled. "Despite us living so far from the city, Mar knows it like the back of her hand. I'm sure she'll show you all sorts of places."

"Come on," Marguerite said, perking up. "The drive into the city doesn't take too long and there's stuff I can show you on the way."

Y/N chuckled as the pair left the shop. Settling on the prepared bench, she felt Diego roll up the fabric on her right leg, pressing the stencil to the puckered skin and smoothing it down gently.

"You ready?" He asked, standing beside her.

Y/N grinned up at him and nodded. "You betcha, let's do this."

~ ~ ~

The drive to the city from their quaint coastal town was a peaceful one. The silence between them was periodically broken by Marguerite who, despite being the one behind the wheel, often had her attention on the countryside around them and chattered away.

In short, he was fascinated. Everything was so green, from the rolling hills to the towering trees. They would pass by a few settlements and Marguerite would say something quick before they left it behind.

"I don't wanna scare you," she was saying, one arm hanging out the window, her head resting back against the seat. "But London is massive. For me anyway. For some it's small, but for Y/N and I? It's bloody huge. Very easy to get lost, even if you're familiar with it."

He simply nodded, images flooding his mind as to what a human city could possibly look like. Would there be towering spires like in Asgard? Would they be as colourful?

His answers came when Marguerite pointed ahead. "There she is," she announced, "London."

The city was as yet too small for any feature to be seen in detail, but he found his wonder only growing. There were indeed spires, or versions of them at least. The sun reflected off their surfaces and soon Marguerite was forced to lower her sunglasses from where they rested atop her head.

~ ~ ~

She barely felt the needle as it rhythmically pierced her skin. Lying on her stomach, she let her eyes fall closed as Diego worked.

"So who is he really?"

Blinking, she looked over her shoulder to see him smirk at her and raise an expectant eyebrow. "Who?" She asked, knowing full well who this conversation was about.

"He ain't your cousin," Diego replied, bending over her calf as he made the finishing touches to the tattoo's outline.

"What makes you say that?" Y/N asked, narrowing her eyes and raising herself up to rest on her forearms.

Looking up, he shot her an incredulous look before continuing with the design. "Sweetheart, you are a terrible liar."

"Am not," she protested.

Diego chuckled at her words, "its a compliment darlin'. But seriously, you may want to work on that if you want people to believe you."

Silently she regarded him and sighed.

"What is it?" He asked gently, resting a hand on her leg and set the machine aside. "You're quieter than usual."

She pasted on a brave smile and shook her head. "I'm okay, really."

"That's what has me worried," he said. "Never, in the time you and I have known each other, have you ever said you were okay. Something's happened, hasn't it?"

All energy seemed to leave her as she met his question with silence. Her eyes said it all.

"It's over then?" Diego asked softly, coming to sit beside her and taking one of her hands in his. "Between you and Finn?"

Y/N nodded, still not speaking.

"Oh love," he sighed. "I should like to say that I am surprised. But that would be a lie, though it grieves me to see you like this."

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. "Mar and Andrew threw him out," she said, finally speaking. "I would have done so myself if the sight of him didn't repulse me so much."

"All the more to ya sweetheart," Diego replied and winked before setting out the colours he needed for the design.

~ ~ ~

"Come along this way," Marguerite said, gesturing for Andrew to follow her. The street was tree lined and plenty shaded from the late morning sun. "There's this charming little shop that Y/N and I always come to when we're in the city."

Intrigued, he followed her. The establishment they entered was indeed quite small but emanated a cozy atmosphere. Books lined the shelves and crystals hung from the ceiling and in the window, casting rainbows on the ground. Salt lamps glowed amidst it all and enticed him to take a closer look.

Marguerite chuckled upon seeing his interest. Both she and Y/N couldn't get enough of them, hence their apartment being littered with them.

While Andrew examined them and the colourful array of crystals that hung from the ceiling in the centre of the room, Marguerite poked around their selection of rings. A rustle of beaded curtains drew both of their attentions to the other side of the shop where a middle-aged woman adorned in all the trappings of a gypsy appeared.

The woman smiled widely upon seeing Marguerite. "Good morning dear," she called.

Marguerite returned the smile. "Hello Angela, its been a while."

"Indeed it has," Angela replied, her eyes straying to where Andrew stood silently. "And who might this be? A friend of yours Marguerite?"

Marguerite nodded. "In a manner of speaking, he's Y/N's cousin. Andrew."

"Andrew," Angela repeated softly to herself before approaching him. Standing before him, she offered a warm smile and received a small, uncertain one in return. "A little shy?" She asked kindly.

"He's lost his voice," Marguerite supplied, coming to stand beside him.

Angela nodded thoughtfully at her words and canted her head to the side. "Come with me Andrew," she said softly, the words meant solely for him. "There is something I must show you."

Marguerite couldn't help the smirk that curled her lips at his look of confusion. "It's quite alright," she told him. "I know Angela, and though her intentions can be somewhat mysterious, you can trust her."

With no small amount of trepidation, he followed the older woman.

The moment they stepped into the backroom, he felt something change. The room's low lighting glittered off the woman's numerous pieces of jewellery a she gestured for him to sit across from her at a small round table. The scent of the sea, his home, drifted through the air and made him smile softly.

Angela watched him through her lashes and saw, for a brief moment, how his eyes changed. The pupils did not dilate, nor did the irises change colour, as it sometimes happened amongst certain people. No. This change made her think of something else entirely. Then, as quick as it had happened, they morphed into something more usual, though the luminescent green remained.

What brought him back was not any soft spoken words by Angela, but a grip on his wrist. With wide eyes, he looked down and saw black-clawed fingers, elegantly tapered and sapphire blue. The scales shimmered like an illusion in the desert. Looking up, the eyes that met his were not Angela's warm ones, but the black pools of Rán's.

"Hello Princeling," she purred, smiling at his obvious shock. "It has been a while." With her other hand, she reached up and trailed a clawed finger along his cheek, laughing softly as he recoiled. "You have a debt to pay," she continued, her grip on his wrist not wavering, even as he fought to free it from her. "Don't be late," she whispered, her voice creeping into his mind and surrounding him. "You know what happens should you fail."

The scent of the sea faded as Angela shook her head and lightly hit the side of it. "By all the known stars," she muttered. "I hate it when she comes without warning."

Andrew stared at her, and soon she felt the weight of it. She sighed heavily when she met his wide eyes. "You saw her then?" She asked, sounding more than a little resigned. When he nodded, she smiled warmly. "I hope she didn't say anything too terrifying," she said. "The last time she decided to appear, she scared off all my clients. It took me a while to convince them it was me they saw."

He couldn't sit still. Not after what had just happened and Angela soon noticed this. Gently taking one of his trembling hands, she gave it a soft squeeze. "Pay no mind to her, dear boy. She likes to terrify. I only wish I knew why it was me she decided on as a vessel. No asking for permission, nothing." She soon saw that her words were having little effect. "Oh my dear," she said, "she must have really gotten to you huh? Though I suppose it's not often that a mere mortal sees someone like her..." her words trailed into silence as she canted her head to the side. "But you are no mortal," she whispered, "are you? There is something about you that I can't quite put my finger on."

Startled, he quickly extracted his hand from hers and tucked them into his lap and looked down.

"You needn't be frightened," Angela assured him in a voice that reminded him of his mother. "I do not know for certain what you are, but in time, I believe I will."

~ ~ ~

"There we go," Diego announced at long last, rising from his seat. "All done."

"Really?" Y/N asked, perking up. "Can I take a look?"

"What do you think?" Diego asked, nodding over to the shop's full length mirror.

Hopping off the bench, Y/N made her way to the mirror and squealed with joy. Her reaction had been the same when she had received her previous two tattoos. "My goodness," she breathed, awestruck. "It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it," Diego said from behind her.

Spinning on her heels, Y/N threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. His arms soon came to surround her as he returned the embrace. "Thank you," she whispered. "I mean it."

"I know you do darlin'," he murmured, soothingly running his hands up and down her back. A moment of silence passed before he spoke again. "You are one of the strongest people I know, the diamond was a good choice."

Stepping back, she beamed up at him. "I'm glad you think so too."

The very same moment he bent to kiss her cheek, was the very same that Marguerite and Andrew waltzed in.

"Just friends," Marguerite whispered to him as they approached them. "He's married."

Y/N beamed upon seeing her best friend. "Look," she exclaimed, pointing to her leg. "Isn't it just gorgeous?"

Andrew could only stare. The scar had all but disappeared beneath this breathtaking illustration. Y/N's smile told him all he needed to know and her words from earlier that day came to mind. She had wanted it gone.

"It's stunning," Marguerite agreed.

The walk home was filled with the chatter of the two girls. Loki found his mind to be far away. Had it truly been a coincidence that Rán had appeared? Or had she been watching him all along and followed him there? He did not think it possible for her to leave her domain. Her voice had refused to leave him, reminding him of the hefty price for his now current state of being. His thoughts were brought to a halt when he almost walked into the backs of the two girls.

The source of their sudden halt was soon seen by him and red tinted his vision. His hands curled into fists, the thankfully short nails biting at the skin. His usual claws would have resulted in his palm bearing gouges. Marguerite too, seemed to be having a hard time controlling herself. Had Y/N not instantly clamped her hand on the other woman's wrist, Marguerite would have launched herself at the figure of Finn. He stood not far from them, his arm around a younger woman than both Y/N and Marguerite.

Looking to Y/N, Loki saw her clench her jaw before taking a deep breath and motioned for both of them to walk with her. Marguerite on one side, Andrew on the other. Unconsciously, she reached for both their hands and clenched them tight.

She said nothing even when they arrived home. Nothing on that certain topic anyway. Not long after their arrival, there was a knock on the door.

"Mar, can you see to it please?" Y/N asked moving to sit one of the chairs on their balcony, Andrew following closely behind.

"Sure thing," the brunette quipped and skipped to the door, a wide smile on her lips when she saw who it was. "Professor!"

"Altier," he acknowledged with a nod and a small smile. "Is Y/L/N home?"

Marguerite nodded and motioned for him to follow her. Neither said anything when they saw Y/N on the balcony, her head leaning on Andrew's shoulder, while one of his arms was draped over her shoulders.

Putting a finger to her lips, Marguerite gestured for Duncan to stay quiet as she led him down the hall, a grin threatening to burst free.

Y/N did not know how long they remained outside, only that suddenly, the sun was sinking towards the horizon. Feeling the chill, she stood. "You can stay longer if you like," she said to Andrew as he began to get up. "I'm just a bit cold, I'm gonna go grab a jumper."

Padding inside, she made for her room and rifled through her wardrobe. Her favourite jumper was nowhere to be found. The last she knew, she hadn't put it into the wash hamper and if it wasn't in her room, then there was only one other place. "If she doesn't have it," she muttered as she left her room, "then I have no idea where it is."

Crossing the hall, she pushed open the door to Marguerite's room. The moment she stepped through, she shielded her eyes in a manner to suggest they had been burned.

"Y/N what the hell?!" Marguerite shrieked, reaching for the sheets to cover her bare form and that of Duncan, who quickly rolled off of her. "Ever heard of knocking?"

"I came for my jumper," Y/N explained, peeking through a gap in her fingers. "And by that look on your face, you know exactly which one." With those words and absolutely no shame, she began to rifle through her friend's clothes until at last she found what she came for.

"Can you go now?" Marguerite wheedled in a sickly sweet voice. "We were kinda in the middle of something."

"Unfortunately I can see that," Y/N muttered. "I should be used to it by now," she added, more to herself as she quickly left the room. Pulling the jumper over her head and smoothing her hair, she made for the balcony but stopped short when she couldn't see Andrew.

"Andrew?" She called as she searched the apartment. "Andrew?" The desperation and fear in her voice surprised her. Where could he possibly have gone? He didn't know the town as well as they and without a voice- _Stop!_ She shook her head and forced herself to focus. Perhaps he simply went for an evening stroll? _Alone?_

~ ~ ~

From the depths, Rán smiled. His entry into the water had given him his true form back. She watched as he swam, the powerful tail propelling him onwards. She watched, unseen, as he perched himself in an outcropping of rock.

And then oh! Oh, he began to sing. Though not in the language of his people, it was no less enchanting. Had she been a mortal, she would have surely fallen under its spell. Not only was did she hear his voice, but also that of a female. She grinned at his genius and watched in delight as the sailors of the oncoming vessel fell victim.

_"No more talk of darkness_   
_Forget these wide-eyed fears_   
_I'm here, nothing can harm you_   
_My words will warm and calm you_

_Let me be your freedom_   
_Let daylight dry your tears_   
_I'm here, with you, beside you_   
_To guard you and to guide you_

_Say you love me every waking moment_   
_Turn my head with talk of summertime_   
_Say you need me with you now and always_   
_Promise me that all you say is true_   
_That's all I ask of you_

_Let me be your shelter_   
_Let me be your light_   
_You're safe, no one will find you_   
_Your fears are far behind you_

_All I want is freedom_   
_A world with no more night_   
_And you, always beside me_   
_To hold me and to hide me_

_Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime_   
_Let me lead you from your solitude_   
_Say you need me with you here, beside you_   
_Anywhere you go, let me go too_   
_Love me, that's all I ask of you_

_Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime_   
_Say the word and I will follow you_

_Share each day with me, each night, each morning_   
_Say you love me, you know I do_

_Love me, that's all I ask of you_

_Anywhere you go, let me go too_   
_Love me, that's all I ask of you.."_

Had the goddess listened a little more intently, she would have heard the similarities between the singing of the female voice and that of the mortal woman he given up his voice for. Even now, she was with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics belong to Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'All I Ask of You.'


	9. Come to me, whispering sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romance seldom happens overnight. Sometimes we have to grow the roses before we can give them. 
> 
> ~ Michael Faudet

She was going to lose her mind, she was sure of it. She had searched everywhere. The apartment was not that big and she had searched it many times over, hoping for a miraculous reappearance.

She had refused to sleep, not caring for her own appearance as she searched frantically. _Where on earth could he be?_

Leaning against the kitchen counter and nursing a fresh cup of coffee, was Marguerite. Confusion glittered in her hazel eyes as she watched her best friend flitter through the apartment. What had gotten into her? Y/N had not said a word of what was clearly eating away at her. "Y/N?"

Appearing not to have heard her, Y/N ran a harried hand through her tangled hair. "I don't get it," she muttered. "I just..." she trailed off, covering her mouth with her hand as she became lost in thought.

"Y/N?"

Still no response. She was staring blankly ahead of her, her fingers drumming against her lips.

Marguerite was growing impatient. Setting her cup down on the counter, she marched up to Y/N and waved a hand in her face. "Y/N? Earth to Y/N?"

Blinking, she seemed to snap out of the haze she had fallen into and stared at Marguerite for a moment before her eyes widened and her hands clutched at her forearms. Her uneven, neglected nails dug into her friend's arms and made her flinch. "You have to help me," she whispered desperately. "You have to. Please!"

Startled by her reaction, Marguerite uncurled Y/N's hands and held them in her own. They were trembling. "Help you with what?" She asked gently. "Talk to me, Y/N. You're scaring me."

Breaking away, Y/N stumbled backwards, her hands curled in her hair, her eyes wide. "I have looked everywhere," she muttered and looked back to Marguerite. "Everywhere, I have looked everywhere Mar. I can't find him anywhere."

Though she began to suspect who this might be about, she needed to know for sure. "Who?" She asked, stepping slowly forward, as though approaching an injured animal.

"Andrew."

"I knew it," Marguerite mumbled under her breath before turning back to her frazzled friend. "Walk me through when last you saw him."

Y/N took a deep, trembling breath and smoothed her shaking hands down her legs. "Um, okay, yeah. Well," she began and swallowed before continuing. "Last night, we were on the balcony together, actually it was about sunset so, dusk. It started to get cold and I left to get my jumper and when I returned," she paused and bit her lip, her arms coming up to curl around her. "He wasn't there. I have been looking for him ever since."

"It looks like it too," Marguerite remarked, smirking.

"Pardon?"

"You look awful, Y/N," Marguerite replied. "You look beyond exhausted. Your hair is a mess. Your nails look worse than usual and the bags under your eyes are a little too clear."

Y/N frowned at her friend's words. "Gee thanks. If I ever feel too good about myself I'll come to you."

Marguerite rolled her eyes. "You're not gonna get anywhere looking like that. Your mind is a mess, I can clearly tell. What you're gonna do is march yourself into the bathroom and have a shower. Get changed and I'll have breakfast waiting. You can't well go traipsing through town looking like you've been dragged backwards through the undergrowth."

"You're really laying it on thick with the compliments today, aren't you?" Y/N sniped, folding her arms.

"Bathroom," Marguerite commanded, pointing down the hall. "Now."

Muttering under her breath, Y/N spun on her heels and stalked down the hall. The rhythmic opening and closing of the bedroom and bathroom doors assured Marguerite that her instructions were being followed.

Setting about boiling the water for the tea Y/N liked to drink in the mornings, Marguerite rummaged around in their fridge and dragged out an assortment of fresh fruits. While her knife sliced fruits, she let her mind wander.

Y/N's attachment to Andrew alarmed her. The man had been with them for three days and she was acting as though he'd been with them for years. She had yet to see her friend as panicked as she had been that morning. Even the loss of their boat and equipment hadn't elicited such a reaction out of her. Getting Y/N to calm down would be a feat in and of itself. The woman could truly work herself into quite a state.

Roughly an hour passed before Y/N reemerged. Her damp hair framed her face in soft curls where it escaped a floral headband. She was wearing a pair of well loved jeans and a boho-inspired floral top.

"That's better," Marguerite praised, passing over a steaming mug of tea.

"I need to find him Mar," Y/N whispered over the rim of her cup, her hands still shaking. "I must. Goodness knows-"

"After you've got some food in you," Marguerite cut in gently. "Then we will both go into town and ask around. Surely someone's seen him. Alright?" 

Y/N nodded and set the cup down, reaching for her friend's hand. "Thank you," she said softly, attempting a smile.

Winking, Marguerite gave her hand a squeeze. "Hey, what are friends for? Now eat up while I go and get changed." Rinsing her cup, she made to leave the kitchen but turned at the last minute to see Y/N staring into her cup. "Hey," she said softly, her friend looking up. "We're gonna find him, yeah?"

Y/N simply nodded and waited until she had left before looking down at the selection of fruits Marguerite had set out. The arrangement of apples, bananas and oranges was littered with fresh blueberries. She smiled faintly and absently picked a fruit. She forced herself to focus on her friend's words. They would find him, wherever he had gotten to.

After eating a few pieces, she sighed and settled for tracing the rim of her mug with the tip of her pinky. The tea was lukewarm now, suitable for gulping down. Without truly knowing what was happening, she felt her lips begin to move and soft words flowed out in a familiar song. A song she had learnt at school and had since never truly been able to forget it.

 _"_ _Are you going to Scarborough Fair?_  
 _Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme_  
 _Remember me to one who lives there_  
 _He once was a true love of mine.."_

Unknown to her, Marguerite stood by in the shadows, watching. The sound of her friend's singing had drawn her from her room. Y/N had a fine voice and one that was rarely heard. Marguerite knew the song too and raised an eyebrow at the subtle changes her friend made.

_"Tell him to make me a cambric shirt_   
_Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme_   
_Without no seam, nor needlework_   
_Then he'll be a true love of mine..."_

Stepping out of the hall, she announced her presence with a light cough. Y/N's singing cut off and colour rose to her cheeks. "How much did you hear?" She asked, draining her cup in one go.

Marguerite smiled and shrugged. "Enough to know that you have a nice voice. Seriously though, you do."

Laughing nervously, Y/N hopped off the tall chair and padded into the kitchen, taking the fruit with her to put back into the fridge. "Shall we go?" She asked, clearly needing a change of topic.

"I noticed you changed some of the lyrics," Marguerite couldn't help herself, she was curious.

"Did I?" Y/N murmured, brushing past her and made for the door.

Marguerite narrowed her eyes but remained silent as she followed her friend.

With the door locked securely behind them, the two friends set out. Y/N was soon steps ahead, asking any of the neighbors they encountered. Each gave the same answer, that they had not seen anyone by the description Y/N gave. Each time, her worry increased and the looks she would shoot Marguerite only grew more panicked. The brunette was hard pressed to stay calm herself. Much less be able to provide comfort for her best friend.

Once they had broken out onto the town's main street, Marguerite almost lost Y/N as she shot off in the direction of the nearest shop. So it became a pattern. Some shops they would enter together and some only Y/N would go into, while Marguerite would question those people she crossed on the street.

It was bordering on early afternoon when Marguerite finally pulled Y/N to the side. "We should go back," she said and flinched at the sharp look of shock that crossed Y/N's features.

"Go back?" Y/N asked in a harsh whisper, eyes wide. "How can we possibly go back if we haven't found him yet? Mar, we can't."

"Y/N, listen to me," Marguerite said firmly. "We have asked everyone here. We have gone into every shop. He's not here and no one has seen him."

"It sounds an awful lot like you're giving up," Y/N said, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow. "We have to keep going. He must be here somewhere. What if he got lost, hmm? Have you stopped to consider that? That he might be out there all alone?"

"Are you suggesting we hike it out there beyond the town?" Marguerite demanded.

"Look," Y/N sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "If you want to go home, fine. But I will keep looking."

"And just where might that be?"

"Down by the beach," Y/N replied. "Besides, a walk along the coast has always calmed us."

Marguerite shook her head as her friend spun on her heels and made for the coastline. They were lucky, living in a seaside town. The beach only took a minute or two to walk to. She really should follow her, heaven knows what Y/N might do when she was in this frame of mind.

Opting to take off her sandals as the sand came into view, Y/N let them dangle from her fingers as she walked down to the shore line. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, allowing the fresh salty air to fill her lungs. Opening her eyes, she smiled upon seeing the sea stretch out before her. There was a faint breeze that had taken to playing with the loose strands of her hair.

"Where are you?" She whispered, allowing the words to drift out to sea. "I cannot seem to find you anywhere." Her eyes followed the ripples of sunlight on the water and sighed heavily. The sight of the ocean usually calmed her, why did it not do so now? "Did we do something to make you leave?"

When no answer came, she closed her eyes and simply stood there. The sun was not as strong that day and the water that lapped at her toes was cool. Upon opening her eyes, she smiled faintly and after making sure she was alone, she opened her mouth and continued the song she had begun in the kitchen.

_" Tell him to find me an acre of land_   
_Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme_   
_Between the salt water and the sea sand_   
_Then he'll be a true love of mine..."_

Then she began to walk, feet splashing softly in the shallows and lightly wetting the hem of her pants. Her voice rose as she grew more confident.

_"Tell him to reap it with a sickle of leather_   
_Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme_   
_And bundle it all with a rope made of heather_   
_Then he'll be a true love of mine..."_

_Are you going to Scarborough Fair?_

_Are you going to Scarborough Fair?_

_He once was a true love of mine.."_

As the song ended, her voice faded as it was carried out to sea. A stuttered sigh left her as she looked back and saw just how far she had walked. She did not wish to return just yet. She could not see Marguerite and scowled. "Fine," she muttered, "be like tha-" her words were silenced as she heard what sounded like a cough from behind her. Startled, she turned and almost fell over in surprise.

There, not ten feet from where she stood, was Andrew. He looked very much like she had first found him. Only this time, he was using the rocks beside him as a support as he fought to stand.

"Andrew?" She whispered, equal parts shocked and relieved.

At the sound of her voice, he looked up.

It was then that her brain registered his state of undress and her cheeks flooded with colour as she turned away. Quickly unbuttoning the light jacket she had thrown on before leaving, she held it out behind her for him to take. The moment it was gone from her grasp, she chanced a glance over her shoulder. He was looking at her intently, almost as though he couldn't quite believe she was there, in front of him.

As soon as the shock of seeing him had worn off, she took a breath and turned. "I-" she began before shaking her head and taking a few stuttering steps forward, only to be caught by him. "I found you," she whispered, looking up at him before circling her arms around his bare waist. "I was so scared," she whimpered. "Please don't ever do that again."

If only she knew what pain her words caused. If only she knew how he longed to make such a promise. Moving them out of the shallow water, Loki held her more securely. He let one hand come up to smooth her hair. For this once he was grateful for the absence of his voice, for what could he possibly say in the face of her distress? He recoiled at the notion of lying to her. She who barely knew him, yet now embraced him as though they were old friends.

Her relief only made his pain worse. Knowing that soon he would have to return. For a brief moment he allowed his lips to brush over her hairline in a wordless display of comfort. The soft words of her song whispered in his mind. A voice as beautiful as those of his kind, but hers carried with it warmth and comfort, something his never would. They were similar in but one regard, the longing in her words and voice matched his to perfection.

_'Your voice is that of an angel's,'_ he thought, subtly tightening his hold on her. _'It carries a peace I do not deserve, yet long for with every fibre of my being.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics belong to a beautiful rendition of 'Scarborough Fair' sung by Aysia Stewart.


	10. The Foam Hourglass

The moment she stepped through the door, Marguerite barrelled into her, snatching one of her hands and pulling her to their small living area.

"Mar," Y/N laughed, "what is going on?"

Saying nothing but flashing her friend a wide grin, Marguerite came to a halt and Y/N noticed that they were indeed not alone. Professor Silver was waiting for them, his towering frame filling the small space.

"Professor?" Y/N asked, confused.

"Good of you to make an appearance, Y/L/N," he replied gruffly, though a smile tugged at his mouth.

Behind her, Y/N could hear Andrew shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Tugging her hand free of Marguerite's grip, she reached for him. "Look who I found, Mar," she announced as the brunette blinked at her.

Marguerite found herself lost for words as she stared up at Andrew. "Where-?"

"Later," Y/N replied, cutting in. "First, let us hear what the Professor has come to say."

Shooting her friend a look of irritation, Marguerite huffed and turned her attention back to Duncan.

"I have news that will bring that smile of yours back, Altier," Duncan assured her.

"Well?" Y/N asked, curious.

"After a lengthy and thorough search, a good portion of your equipment has been recovered."

Both girls gasped and shared a hopeful look before turning back to Duncan. "Does any of it still work?" Marguerite asked, bouncing from one foot to the other.

"Thankfully," Duncan replied, "after a rather meticulous series of testings, a select number of items have been found to be working."

Y/N felt her knees threaten to give way, her hand clutching at Andrew's. The sheer relief was overwhelming. Beside her, Marguerite was not faring any better, standing next to the sofa, she had practically slid onto it. There was hope in their eyes as their gazes met.

"So," Y/N finally managed to say. "What exactly does that mean for us?"

"The two of you will be joining the recovery crew and will help them in bringing back as much equipment as possible," Duncan replied.

"You mean we get to go back to Iceland?" Marguerite asked breathlessly, having propped herself up on the sofa.

Duncan nodded and offered her a soft smile.

With a shriek of joy, Marguerite leapt off the sofa and wound her arms tight around Y/N. "We get to go back," she sang. "We get to go back."

Laughing, Y/N nodded and returned her friend's embrace.

Duncan chuckled at their antics. He knew no students as passionate as they. Looking over to where Andrew stood, he nodded to the younger man. Looking back to Y/N and Marguerite, he coughed lightly to gain their attention. "Your flight leaves tonight at eight."

~ ~ ~

Oh, but this was perfect. Even if she had planned it, it could not have gone any smoother.

Dissolving the image in the bubble, Rán turned to the entrance of her cave and sang a single note. Within moments there was movement and two creatures emerged. Large eels they were, each with a set of razor sharp teeth and eyes that glowed as dying embers might.

"There you are," the goddess crooned and reached out to them. She smiled as they approached, their skin cold and slippery beneath her hands. "There is something I would like for you to do." Turning her head slightly, she looked to the right and met the gaze of the eel there. "Eitrað," she addressed it. "This will be for you," as she spoke, she gently coaxed the eel's mouth open and lightly traced its wicked teeth. "A simple bite is all it will take," she explained. "But," here she paused and looked to them both. "Only one shall fall victim."

Opening one hand, she summoned an image of the human woman and allowed her pets to see.

"Now," Rán continued, turning to the other eel. "As for you, my darling Mótefni. You shall remain with me while your brother works." Extending a hand, she traced its spines that sliced like knives through the water. "For once he has completed his task, then it shall be your turn. For then, she will come to us. She will seek us out for the relief that only you can provide. A relief that I will be only too happy to give."

A smile followed her words, a smile that revealed teeth as black as the night and as sharp as those that belonged to the eels that smiled back.

"Her friend will follow, of course," Rán continued. "For there is never one without the other and I am owed two souls."

With a small gesture of her hand, the goddess had the eels swim alongside her as she departed from the cave, her powerful tail propelling her through the water and towards the wreck site.

Taking shelter amidst the swaying kelp, Rán saw her. Attired in a black outfit she was, with a strange contraption strapped to her back. Her curious nature was obvious as she swam about, carrying a variety of objects to the surface from the seafloor. 

"There," Rán murmured and gently patted the eel to her right. "Off you go, my sweet and remember, only one bite."

Unaware of the creature headed towards her, Y/N dove down to where the wreck of the boat lay on the sand. She did not dare touch the shards for they looked incredibly sharp and would no doubt slice right through her gloves.

Memories of the storm flashed before her eyes. Closing them, she shook her head and forced herself to focus. They had been at it for the entire day and having already collected so much, there was not much more. The boat itself would not be retrieved.

Shying away from the broken hull, Y/N cast her eyes around and smiled for a moment as she caught sight of the telltale shape of her sample pouch hanging not even a meter away. Swimming closer, she reached out to take it when a brief, but intense pain blossomed just above her right ankle. Furrowing her brow, she looked down and saw a small tear in the wetsuit fabric.

Snatching her pouch, she made for the surface. With each kick, the pain returned and throbbed as though in time with her heart. There had been no blood, for that she was grateful. Making a grab for the boat ladder, she hauled herself up and immediately pulled her mask and tank off. Ignoring the remarks of surprise from the surface members of the team, she limped her way to the nearest seat and looked down at her ankle.

True enough, there was not even a scratch, but a rather nasty looking bruise was blooming where the pain was strongest. Reaching down, Y/N gave it a light probe and hissed as the pain skyrocketed. So sharp it was that it brought tears to her eyes.

"A rather nasty bruise you've got going there," the skipper remarked to her, a note of concern in his voice.

Swallowing hard, Y/N nodded and met his eyes. "I must have hit against something, though I cannot quite think of what, I was so careful."

"It happens," the skipper replied, shrugging his shoulders. "A wreck site is always a dangerous place. Best put some ice on it at least until we get back to land."

Nodding, Y/N made quick work of her flippers and wetsuit, making sure to wrap a towel around herself. "Has Miss Altier surfaced yet?"

The skipper nodded. "Just a few moments before you came, she'll be back soon I wager."

From her place among the kelp, Rán watched. Eitrað had long since returned to her and was pressed lightly to her side, his eyes fixed on the woman before them. "Nicely done, my darling," the goddess had said the moment he had returned to her. "It shall not be too long now," she said now, eyes fixed forward. "And tonight, oh tonight, our Prince returns to us, if only for a short while."

Turning away, Rán swam down to where the ocean was deepest, the two eels following alongside. It was colder in the dark, the only light was that which she created and that too bore no warmth. The eels followed her as she entered the cave and swam to an outcropping near the rocky ceiling.

There among empty vials stood one that was full. The contents pulsed gently and glowed out against the dark surroundings. Reaching up, Rán curled her hand around it and held it at eye-level. Upon pulling the stopper free, she watched as its contents coalesced before her. Seafoam the colour of pearls swam before her. With but a simple lifting of her finger, she had the foam change its shape.

It writhed and twisted until a shape was achieved. The shape for which she had created it. Holding out a hand, she took hold of it. An hourglass. Within the top sphere, the seafoam was finer and had transformed into the colour of brilliant emerald. It shimmered as it trickled into the sphere below.

Turning to the two eels, Rán held the hourglass so that they might be able to see it. "It is only a matter of time," she said to them. "With every bubble that drops, the poison spreads further," pausing, she looked to the hourglass in her hands. "She will come to us before the last bubble drops. Just you wait and see."

_"What if he should come in her place?"_ It was not often that the eels spoke. Their hissed voices echoing through the cave.

Rán shook her head. "It is _her_ life that the hourglass is tied to. Let him come. Let him approach. For only the one that was poisoned may retrieve the antidote."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eitrað = Poisonous  
> Mótefni = Antidote
> 
> (translated from Icelandic)


End file.
